CREDIT AGREEMENT dated as of September 30, 2002 among NATIONAL FUEL GAS COMPANY The Lenders Party Hereto and JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, as Administrative Agent
EXHIBIT 10.1
CREDIT AGREEMENT
dated as of
September 30, 2002
among
NATIONAL FUEL GAS COMPANY
The Lenders Party Hereto
and
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK,
as Administrative Agent
X.X. XXXXXX SECURITIES INC.,
as Sole Bookrunner and Sole Lead Arranger
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
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ARTICLE I Definitions.......................................................................1
SECTION 1.01. Defined Terms........................................................1
SECTION 1.02. Classification of Loans and Borrowings..............................12
SECTION 1.03. Terms Generally.....................................................13
SECTION 1.04. Accounting Terms; GAAP..............................................13
ARTICLE II The Credits.....................................................................13
SECTION 2.01. Commitments.........................................................13
SECTION 2.02. Loans and Borrowings................................................14
SECTION 2.03. Requests for Borrowings.............................................14
SECTION 2.04. Funding of Borrowings...............................................15
SECTION 2.05. Interest Elections..................................................15
SECTION 2.06. Termination, Reduction and Increase of Commitments..................17
SECTION 2.07. Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt................................20
SECTION 2.08. Prepayment of Loans.................................................20
SECTION 2.09. Fees................................................................21
SECTION 2.10. Interest............................................................22
SECTION 2.11. Alternate Rate of Interest..........................................22
SECTION 2.12. Increased Costs.....................................................23
SECTION 2.13. Break Funding Payments..............................................24
SECTION 2.14. Taxes...............................................................24
SECTION 2.15. Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs.........25
SECTION 2.16. Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders......................27
ARTICLE III Representations and Warranties.................................................27
SECTION 3.01. Corporate Existence.................................................28
SECTION 3.02. Financial Condition.................................................28
SECTION 3.03. Litigation..........................................................28
SECTION 3.04. No Breach...........................................................28
SECTION 3.05. Action..............................................................29
SECTION 3.06. Approvals...........................................................29
SECTION 3.07. Use of Credit.......................................................29
SECTION 3.08. ERISA...............................................................29
SECTION 3.09. Taxes...............................................................30
SECTION 3.10. Investment Company Act..............................................30
SECTION 3.11. Public Utility Holding Company Act..................................30
SECTION 3.12. Environmental Matters...............................................30
SECTION 3.13. Subsidiaries, Etc...................................................31
SECTION 3.14. True and Complete Disclosure........................................31
ARTICLE IV Conditions......................................................................31
SECTION 4.01. Effective Date......................................................31
SECTION 4.02. Each Credit Event...................................................32
ARTICLE V Covenants of the Borrower........................................................33
SECTION 5.01. Financial Statements, Etc...........................................33
SECTION 5.02. Existence, Etc......................................................35
SECTION 5.03. Insurance...........................................................35
SECTION 5.04. Prohibition of Fundamental Changes..................................35
SECTION 5.05. Limitation on Liens.................................................36
SECTION 5.06. Use of Proceeds.....................................................37
SECTION 5.07. Financial Condition.................................................37
ARTICLE VI Events of Default...............................................................37
ARTICLE VII The Administrative Agent.......................................................40
ARTICLE VIII Miscellaneous.................................................................42
SECTION 8.01. Notices.............................................................42
SECTION 8.02. Waivers; Amendments.................................................42
SECTION 8.03. Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver..................................43
SECTION 8.04. Successors and Assigns..............................................44
SECTION 8.05. Survival............................................................47
SECTION 8.06. Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness............................48
SECTION 8.07. Severability........................................................48
SECTION 8.08. Right of Setoff.....................................................48
SECTION 8.09. Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process..........48
SECTION 8.10. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL................................................49
SECTION 8.11. Headings............................................................49
SECTION 8.12. Confidentiality.....................................................49
SCHEDULES:
Schedule 2.01 - Commitments
Schedule 3.06 - Governmental Approvals
Schedule 4.01 - Repaid Indebtedness
EXHIBITS:
Exhibit A - Form of Assignment and Assumption
CREDIT AGREEMENT dated as of September 30, 2002, among NATIONAL FUEL GAS COMPANY, the LENDERS party hereto, and JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, 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:
“364-Day Facility Availability Period” means the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the earlier of the 364-Day Facility Maturity Date and the 364-Day Facility Commitment Termination Date.
“364-Day Facility Commitment” means, with respect to each Lender, the commitment of such Lender to make 364-Day Facility Loans, expressed as an amount representing the maximum aggregate amount of such Lender’s 364-Day Facility Credit Exposure hereunder, as such commitment may be (a) reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to Section 2.06 and (b) reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to assignments by or to such Lender pursuant to Section 8.04. The initial amount of each Lender’s 364-Day Facility Commitment is set forth on Schedule 2.01, or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender shall have assumed its 364-Day Facility Commitment, as applicable. The initial aggregate amount of the Lenders’ 364-Day Facility Commitments is $110,000,000.
“364-Day Facility Commitment Termination Date” means the date which is 364 days after the Effective Date.
“364-Day Facility Credit Exposure” means, with respect to any Lender at any time, the outstanding principal amount of such Lender’s 364-Day Facility Loans at such time.
“364-Day Facility Loan” means a Loan made pursuant to Section 2.03(a).
“364-Day Facility Maturity Date” means the 364-Day Facility Commitment Termination Date provided, that the 364-Day Facility Maturity Date shall be September 30, 2004 if (i) the Administrative Agent shall have received, at least 30 days prior to the 364-Day Facility Commitment Termination Date, written correspondence from the Borrower requesting such extension of the 364-Day Facility Maturity Date accompanied by a certificate of a senior officer of the Borrower certifying that, at such time and, to the best of the Borrower’s knowledge at the time such certification is made, immediately after giving effect to such extension, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing and (ii) on the 364-Day Facility Commitment Termination Date and immediately after giving effect to such extension, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing.
“ABR”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing interest at a rate determined by reference to the Alternate Base Rate.
“Adjusted LIBO Rate” means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period, an interest rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/16 of 1%) equal to (a) the LIBO Rate for such Interest Period multiplied by (b) the Statutory Reserve Rate.
“Administrative Agent” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, in its capacity as administrative agent for the Lenders hereunder.
“Administrative Questionnaire” means an Administrative Questionnaire in a form supplied by the Administrative Agent.
“Affiliate” means, with respect to a specified Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified.
“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 Base CD Rate in effect on such day plus 1% and (c) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day plus 1/2 of 1%. Any change in the Alternate Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate, the Base CD Rate or the Federal Funds Effective Rate shall be effective from and including the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate, the Base CD Rate or the Federal Funds Effective Rate, respectively.
“Applicable Percentage” means, with respect to any Lender, the percentage of the total Commitments represented by such Lender’s Commitment. If the Commitments have terminated or expired, the Applicable Percentages shall be determined based upon the Commitments most recently in effect, giving effect to any assignments.
“Applicable Rate” means, for any day, with respect to any ABR Loan or Eurodollar Loan, or with respect to the facility fees payable hereunder, as the case may be, the applicable rate per annum set forth below under the caption “ABR Applicable Margin”, “Eurodollar Applicable Margin” or “Facility Fee Rate”, as the case may be, based upon the ratings by Xxxxx’x, S&P and Fitch, respectively, applicable on such date to the Index Debt:
======================== ========================= =========================== =========================== ==========================
Ratings of ABR Eurodollar Rate Facility Drawn Cost for
Index Debt Applicable Margin Applicable Margin Fee Rate Initial Borrowings
------------------------ ------------------------- --------------------------- --------------------------- --------------------------
Category 1 364-Day Facility: 364-Day Facility: 0.425% 364-Day Facility: 0.075% 364-Day Facility: 0.500%
----------
A/A2/A 0.000% Multi-Year Facility: Multi-Year Facility: Multi-Year Facility:
Multi-Year Facility: 0.400% 0.100% 0.500%
0.000%
------------------------ ------------------------- --------------------------- --------------------------- --------------------------
Category 2 364-Day Facility: 364-Day Facility: 0.525% 364-Day Facility: 0.100% 364-Day Facility: 0.625%
----------
A-/A3/A- 0.000% Multi-Year Facility: Multi-Year Facility: Multi-Year Facility:
Multi-Year Facility: 0.500% 0.125% 0.625%
0.000%
------------------------ ------------------------- --------------------------- --------------------------- --------------------------
Category 3 364-Day Facility: 364-Day Facility: 0.625% 364-Day Facility: 0.125% 364-Day Facility: 0.750%
----------
BBB+/Baa1/BBB+ 0.000% Multi-Year Facility: Multi-Year Facility: Multi-Year Facility:
Multi-Year Facility: 0.600% 0.150% 0.750%
0.000%
------------------------ ------------------------- --------------------------- --------------------------- --------------------------
Category 4 364-Day Facility: 364-Day Facility: 0.725% 364-Day Facility: 0.150% 364-Day Facility: 0.875%
----------
BBB/Baa2/BBB 0.000% Multi-Year Facility: Multi-Year Facility: Multi-Year Facility:
Multi-Year Facility: 0.700% 0.175% 0.875%
0.000%
------------------------ ------------------------- --------------------------- --------------------------- --------------------------
Category 5 364-Day Facility: 364-Day Facility: 1.075% 364-Day Facility: 0.175% 364-Day Facility: 1.250%
----------
BBB-/Baa3/BBB- 0.075% Multi-Year Facility: Multi-Year Facility: Multi-Year Facility:
Multi-Year Facility: 1.050% 0.200% 1.250%
0.050%
------------------------ ------------------------- --------------------------- --------------------------- --------------------------
Category 6 364-Day Facility: 364-Day Facility: 1.525% 364-Day Facility: 0.225% 364-Day Facility: 1.750%
----------
< BBB-/Baa3/BBB- 0.525% Multi-Year Facility: Multi-Year Facility: Multi-Year Facility:
Multi-Year Facility: 1.500% 0.250% 1.750%
0.500%
======================== ========================= =========================== =========================== ==========================
provided, that (i) through the 364-Day Facility Maturity Date, for each day the aggregate principal amount of 364-Day Facility Loans outstanding is greater than 33% of the aggregate 364-Day Facility Commitments, each of the ABR Applicable Margin and the Eurodollar Applicable Margin set forth above for the 364-Day Facility Loans shall be increased by 0.125% and (ii) through the Multi-Year Facility Maturity Date, for each day the aggregate principal amount of Multi-Year Facility Loans outstanding is greater than 33% of the aggregate Multi-Year Facility Commitments, each of the ABR Applicable Margin and the Eurodollar Applicable Margin set forth above for the Multi-Year Facility Loans shall be increased by 0.125%. If, after the 364-Day Facility Commitment Termination Date, any amount of 364-Day Facility Loans remains outstanding, each of the ABR Applicable Margin and the Eurodollar Applicable Margin set forth above for such Loans shall be increased by 0.250%. After the 364-Day Facility Maturity Date, each of the ABR Applicable Margin and the Eurodollar Applicable Margin set forth above for the 364-Day Facility Loans will be increased by 0.125% with respect to any amount of such Loans then outstanding. After the Multi-Year Facility Maturity Date, each of the ABR Applicable Margin and the Eurodollar Applicable Margin set forth above for the Multi-Year Facility Loans will be increased by 0.125% with respect to any amount of such Loans then outstanding.
For purposes of the foregoing, with respect to the Index Debt, (i) if all three Rating Agencies issue a rating and if the ratings from two Rating Agencies are at the same level and the rating from the third Rating Agency is at a lower level, the higher rating shall apply; (ii) if the ratings from two Rating Agencies are at the same level and the rating from the third Rating Agency is at a higher level, the lower rating shall apply; (iii) if all three ratings from the Rating Agencies are at different levels, the rating next below the highest of the three shall apply; (iv) if only two Rating Agencies issue a rating, the lower of such ratings shall apply; and (v) if only one Rating Agency issues a rating, such rating shall apply. If the ratings established or deemed to have been established by either Rating Agency shall be changed (other than as a result of a change in the rating system of such Rating Agency), such change shall be effective as of the date on which it is first announced by the applicable Rating Agency, irrespective of when notice of such change shall have been furnished by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders pursuant to Section 5.01(i) or otherwise. Each change in the Applicable Rate shall apply during the period commencing on the effective date of such change and ending on the date immediately preceding the effective date of the next such change. If the rating system of either Rating Agency shall change, or if the sole remaining Rating Agency providing a rating with respect to Index Debt shall cease to be in the business of rating corporate debt obligations, the Borrower and the Lenders shall negotiate in good faith to amend this definition to reflect such changed rating system or the unavailability of ratings from such Rating Agency and, pending the effectiveness of any such amendment, the Applicable Rate shall be determined by reference to the rating most recently in effect prior to such change or cessation.
“Approved Fund” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.04.
“Assessment Rate” means, for any day, the annual assessment rate in effect on such day that is payable by a member of the Bank Insurance Fund classified as “well-capitalized” and within supervisory subgroup “B” (or a comparable successor risk classification) within the meaning of 12 C.F.R. Part 327 (or any successor provision) to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation for insurance by such Corporation of time deposits made in dollars at the offices of such member in the United States; provided that if, as a result of any change in any law, rule or regulation, it is no longer possible to determine the Assessment Rate as aforesaid, then the Assessment Rate shall be such annual rate as shall be determined by the Administrative Agent to be representative of the cost of such insurance to the Lenders.
“Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 8.04), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in the form of Exhibit A or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.
“Assuming Lender” means, at any time, a Person not previously a Lender which becomes a Lender pursuant to Section 2.06(d).
“Assumption and Acceptance” means an assumption and acceptance entered into by an Assuming Lender, the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, in the form of Exhibit B or any other form approved by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.
“Bankruptcy Code” means the Federal Bankruptcy Code of 1978, as amended from time to time.
“Base CD Rate” means the sum of (a) the Three-Month Secondary CD Rate multiplied by the Statutory Reserve Rate plus (b) the Assessment Rate.
“Board” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States of America.
“Borrower” means National Fuel Gas Company, a New Jersey corporation.
“Borrowing” means Loans of the same Type and Class, made, converted or continued on the same date and, in the case of Eurodollar Loans, as to which a single Interest Period is in effect.
“Borrowing Request” means a request by the Borrower for a Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.03.
“Business Day” means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York City are authorized or required by law to remain closed; provided that, when used in connection with a Eurodollar Loan, the term “Business Day” shall also exclude any day on which banks are not open for dealings in dollar deposits in the London interbank market.
“Capital Lease Obligations” of any Person means the obligations of such Person to pay rent or other amounts under any lease of (or other arrangement conveying the right to use) real or personal property, or a combination thereof, which obligations are required to be classified and accounted for as capital leases on a balance sheet of such Person under GAAP, and the amount of such obligations shall be the capitalized amount thereof determined in accordance with GAAP.
“Change in Law” means (a) the adoption of any law, rule or regulation after the date of this Agreement, (b) any change in any law, rule or regulation or in the interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority after the date of this Agreement or (c) compliance by any Lender (or, for purposes of Section 2.12(b), by any lending office of such Lender or by such Lender’s holding company, if any) with any request, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) of any Governmental Authority made or issued after the date of this Agreement.
“CLO” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.04.
“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.
“Commitment” means, with respect to each Lender, such Lender’s aggregate 364-Day Facility Commitment and Multi-Year Facility Commitment.
“ Commitment Increase” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.06(d).
“ Commitment Increase Date” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.06(d).
“Consolidated Capitalization” means, at any date, the sum of Consolidated Net Worth and Consolidated Indebtedness.
“Consolidated Indebtedness” means, at any date, all Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries at such date, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, as reflected on the balance sheet.
“Consolidated Net Worth” means, at any date, all amounts that would, in conformity with GAAP, be included on a consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries under stockholders’ equity at such time.
“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 Exposure” means, with respect to any Lender at any time, the outstanding principal amount of such Lender’s Loans at such time.
“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.
“dollars” or “$” refers to lawful money of the United States of America.
“Effective Date” means the date on which the conditions specified in Section 4.01 are satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 8.02).
“Environmental Laws” means all laws, rules, regulations, codes, ordinances, orders, decrees, judgments, injunctions, notices or binding agreements issued, promulgated or entered into by any Governmental Authority, relating in any way to the environment, preservation or reclamation of natural resources, the management, release or threatened release of any Hazardous Material or to health and safety matters.
“Environmental Liability” means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of the Borrower or any Subsidiary directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any Hazardous Materials, (d) the release or threatened release of any Hazardous Materials into the environment or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.
“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time.
“ERISA Affiliate” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) that, together with the Borrower, is treated as a single employer under Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code or, solely for purposes of Section 302 of ERISA and Section 412 of the Code, is treated as a single employer under Section 414 of the Code.
“Eurodollar”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing interest at a rate determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate.
“Event of Default” has the meaning assigned to such term in Article VI.
“Excluded Taxes” means, with respect to the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder, (a) income or franchise taxes imposed on (or measured by) its net income by the United States of America, or by the jurisdiction under the laws of which such recipient is organized or in which its principal office is located or, in the case of any Lender, in which its applicable lending office is located, (b) any branch profits taxes imposed by the United States of America or any similar tax imposed by any other jurisdiction in which the Borrower is located and (c) in the case of a Foreign Lender (other than an assignee pursuant to a request by the Borrower under Section 2.16(b)), any withholding tax that is imposed on amounts payable to such Foreign Lender at the time such Foreign Lender becomes a party to this Agreement (or designates a new lending office) or is attributable to such Foreign Lender’s failure to comply with Section 2.14(e), except to the extent that such Foreign Lender (or its assignor, if any) was entitled, at the time of designation of a new lending office (or assignment), to receive additional amounts from the Borrower with respect to such withholding tax pursuant to Section 2.14(a).
“Federal Funds Effective Rate” means, for any day, the weighted average (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers, as published on the next succeeding Business Day by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or, if such rate is not so published for any day that is a Business Day, the average (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) of the quotations for such day for such transactions received by the Administrative Agent from three Federal funds brokers of recognized standing selected by it.
“Financial Officer” means the chief financial officer, principal accounting officer, treasurer or controller of the Borrower.
“Fitch” means Fitch, Inc.
“Foreign Lender” means any Lender that is organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which the Borrower is located. For purposes of this definition, the United States of America, each State thereof and the District of Columbia shall be deemed to constitute a single jurisdiction. >
“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America.
“Governmental Approval” means any authorization, consent, approval, license, ruling, permit, tariff, rate, certification, exemption, filing, variance, order, judgment, decree, publication, notice to, declaration of or registration by or with any Governmental Authority.
“Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States of America, any other nation or any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government.
“Guarantee” of or by any Person (the “guarantor”) means any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of the guarantor guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of the guarantor, direct or indirect, (a) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation or to purchase (or to advance or supply funds for the purchase of) any security for the payment thereof, (b) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the owner of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment thereof, (c) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation or (d) as an account party in respect of any letter of credit or letter of guaranty issued to support such Indebtedness or obligation; provided, that the term Guarantee shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business.
“Hazardous Materials” means all explosive or radioactive substances or wastes and all hazardous or toxic substances, wastes or other pollutants, including petroleum or petroleum distillates, asbestos or asbestos containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, radon gas, infectious or medical wastes and all other substances or wastes of any nature regulated pursuant to any Environmental Law.
“Increasing Lender” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.06(d).
“Indebtedness” of any Person means, without duplication, (a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money or with respect to deposits or advances of any kind, (b) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments, (c) all obligations of such Person upon which interest charges are customarily paid, (d) all obligations of such Person under conditional sale or other title retention agreements relating to property acquired by such Person, (e) all obligations of such Person in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or services (excluding current accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of business), (f) all Indebtedness of others secured by (or for which the holder of such Indebtedness has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien on property owned or acquired by such Person, whether or not the Indebtedness secured thereby has been assumed, (g) all Guarantees by such Person of Indebtedness of others, (h) all Capital Lease Obligations of such Person, (i) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person as an account party in respect of letters of credit and letters of guaranty and (j) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person in respect of bankers’ acceptances. The Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any other entity (including any partnership in which such Person is a general partner) to the extent such Person is liable therefor as a result of such Person’s ownership interest in or other relationship with such entity, except to the extent the terms of such Indebtedness provide that such Person is not liable therefor.
“Indemnified Taxes” means Taxes other than Excluded Taxes.
“Index Debt” means senior, unsecured, long-term indebtedness for borrowed money of the Borrower that is not guaranteed by any other Person or subject to any other credit enhancement.
“Interest Election Request” means a request by the Borrower to convert or continue a Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.05.
“Interest Payment Date” means (a) with respect to any ABR Loan, the last day of each March, June, September and December and (b) with respect to any Eurodollar Loan, the last day of the Interest Period applicable to the Borrowing of which such Loan is a part and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing with an Interest Period of more than three months’ duration, each day prior to the last day of such Interest Period that occurs at intervals of three months’ duration after the first day of such Interest Period.
“Interest Period”, means with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing, the period commencing on the date of such Borrowing and ending on the numerically corresponding day in the calendar month that is one, two, three or six months thereafter, as the Borrower may elect; provided, that (a) 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 (b) any Interest Period pertaining to a Eurodollar Borrowing that commences on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the last calendar month of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the last calendar month of such Interest Period. For purposes hereof, the date of a Borrowing initially shall be the date on which such Borrowing is made and thereafter shall be the effective date of the most recent conversion or continuation of such Borrowing.
“Lenders” means the Persons listed on Schedule 2.01 and any other Person that shall have become a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption, other than any such Person that ceases to be a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption.
“LIBO Rate” means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period, the rate appearing on Page 3750 of the Dow Xxxxx Market Service (or on any successor or substitute page of such Service, or any successor to or substitute for such Service, providing rate quotations comparable to those currently provided on such page of such Service, as determined by the Administrative Agent from time to time for purposes of providing quotations of interest rates applicable to dollar deposits in the London interbank market) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, as the rate for dollar deposits with a maturity comparable to such Interest Period. In the event that such rate is not available at such time for any reason, then the “LIBO Rate” with respect to such Eurodollar Borrowing for such Interest Period shall be the rate at which dollar deposits of $5,000,000 and for a maturity comparable to such Interest Period are offered by the principal London office of the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds in the London interbank market at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period.
“Lien” means, with respect to any asset, (a) any mortgage, deed of trust, lien, pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance, charge or security interest in, on or of such asset, (b) the interest of a vendor or a lessor under any conditional sale agreement, capital lease or title retention agreement (or any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing) relating to such asset and (c) in the case of securities, any purchase option, call or similar right of a third party with respect to such securities.
“Loans” means 364-Day Facility Loans and Multi-Year Facility Loans made by the Lenders to the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement.
“Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on (a) the business, assets, property, operations, prospects or condition, financial or otherwise, of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (b) the validity or enforceability of, or the ability of the Borrower to perform any of its obligations under, this Agreement or (c) the rights of, or remedies or benefits available to, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders under this Agreement.
“Material Subsidiary” means, at any time, a Subsidiary of the Borrower whose assets exceed 10% of the consolidated assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.
“Moody's” means Xxxxx'x Investors Service, Inc.
“Multiemployer Plan” means a multiemployer plan as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA.
“Multi-Year Facility Availability Period” means the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the earlier of the Multi-Year Facility Maturity Date and the Multi-Year Facility Commitment Termination Date.
“Multi-Year Facility Commitment” means, with respect to each Lender, the commitment of such Lender to make Multi-Year Facility Loans, expressed as an amount representing the maximum aggregate amount of such Lender’s Multi-Year Facility Credit Exposure hereunder, as such commitment may be (a) reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to Section 2.06 and (b) reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to assignments by or to such Lender pursuant to Section 8.04. The initial amount of each Lender’s Multi-Year Facility Commitment is set forth on Schedule 2.01, or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender shall have assumed its Multi-Year Facility Commitment, as applicable. The initial aggregate amount of the Lenders’ Multi-Year Facility Commitments is $110,000,000.
“Multi-Year Facility Commitment Termination Date” means the date which is three years after the Effective Date.
“Multi-Year Facility Credit Exposure” means, with respect to any Lender at any time, the outstanding principal amount of such Lender’s Multi-Year Facility Loans at such time.
“Multi-Year Facility Loan” means a Loan made pursuant to Section 2.03(b).
“Multi-Year Facility Maturity Date” means September 30, 2005.
“Other Obligations” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.05.
“Other Taxes” means any and all present or future stamp or documentary taxes or any other excise or property taxes, charges or similar levies arising from any payment made hereunder or from the execution, delivery or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement.
“Participant” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.04.
“PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation referred to and defined in ERISA and any successor entity performing similar functions.
“Person” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.
“Plan” means any employee pension benefit plan (other than a Multiemployer Plan) subject to the provisions of Title IV of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, and in respect of which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate is (or, if such plan were terminated, would under Section 4069 of ERISA be deemed to be) an “employer” as defined in Section 3(5) of ERISA.
“Prime Rate” means the rate of interest per annum publicly announced from time to time by JPMorgan Chase Bank as its prime rate in effect at its principal office in New York City; each change in the Prime Rate shall be effective from and including the date such change is publicly announced as being effective.
“PUHCA” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.11.
“Rating Agency” means, each of Xxxxx'x, S&P and Fitch.
“Register” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.04.
“Related Parties” means, with respect to any specified Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the respective directors, officers, employees, agents and advisors of such Person and such Person’s Affiliates.
“Required Lenders” means, at any time, Lenders having Credit Exposures and unused Commitments representing more than 50% of the sum of the total Credit Exposures and unused Commitments at such time.
“S&P” means Standard & Poor's Rating Services, a division of the XxXxxx-Xxxx Companies, Inc.
“SEC” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or any successor thereto.
“Statutory Reserve Rate” means a fraction (expressed as a decimal), the numerator of which is the number one and the denominator of which is the number one minus the aggregate of the maximum reserve percentages (including any marginal, special, emergency or supplemental reserves) expressed as a decimal established by the Board to which the Administrative Agent is subject (a) with respect to the Base CD Rate, for new negotiable nonpersonal time deposits in dollars of over $100,000 with maturities approximately equal to three months and (b) 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. Eurodollar Loans shall be deemed to constitute eurocurrency funding and to be subject to such reserve requirements without benefit of or credit for proration, exemptions or offsets that may be available from time to time to any Lender under such Regulation D or any comparable regulation. The Statutory Reserve Rate shall be adjusted automatically on and as of the effective date of any change in any reserve percentage.
“subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person (the “parent”) at any date, any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other entity the accounts of which would be consolidated with those of the parent in the parent’s consolidated financial statements if such financial statements were prepared in accordance with GAAP as of such date, as well as any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other entity (a) of which securities or other ownership interests representing more than 50% of the equity or more than 50% of the ordinary voting power or, in the case of a partnership, more than 50% of the general partnership interests are, as of such date, owned, controlled or held, or (b) that is, as of such date, otherwise Controlled, by the parent or one or more subsidiaries of the parent or by the parent and one or more subsidiaries of the parent.
“Subsidiary” means any subsidiary of the Borrower.
“Taxes” means any and all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, charges or withholdings imposed by any Governmental Authority.
“Three-Month Secondary CD Rate” means, for any day, the secondary market rate for three-month certificates of deposit reported as being in effect on such day (or, if such day is not a Business Day, the next preceding Business Day) by the Board through the public information telephone line of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (which rate will, under the current practices of the Board, be published in Federal Reserve Statistical Release H.15(519) during the week following such day) or, if such rate is not so reported on such day or such next preceding Business Day, the average of the secondary market quotations for three-month certificates of deposit of major money center banks in New York City received at approximately 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on such day (or, if such day is not a Business Day, on the next preceding Business Day) by the Administrative Agent from three negotiable certificate of deposit dealers of recognized standing selected by it.
“Transactions” means the execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of this Agreement, the borrowing of Loans and the use of the proceeds thereof.
“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.
“Wholly-Owned Subsidiary” means, for any Person, any Subsidiary of such Person of which all of the equity securities or other ownership interests (other than in the case of a corporation, directors’ qualifying shares) are directly or indirectly owned or Controlled by such Person.
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 "Multi-Year Facility Loan") or by Type (e.g., a "Eurodollar Loan") or by Class and Type (e.g., a "Eurodollar Multi-Year Facility Loan"). Borrowings also may be classified and referred to by Class (e.g., a "Multi-Year Facility Borrowing") or by Type (e.g., a "Eurodollar Borrowing") or by Class and Type (e.g., a "Eurodollar Multi-Year Facility Borrowing").
SECTION 1.03. Terms Generally. The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “include”, “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation”. The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall”. Unless the context requires otherwise (a) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document herein shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein), (b) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, (c) the words “herein”, “hereof” and “hereunder”, and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof, (d) all references herein to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, this Agreement and (e) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.
SECTION 1.04. Accounting Terms; GAAP. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature shall be construed in accordance with GAAP, as in effect from time to time; provided that, if the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent that the Borrower requests an amendment to any provision hereof to eliminate the effect of any change occurring after the date hereof in GAAP or in the application thereof on the operation of such provision (or if the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower that the Required Lenders request an amendment to any provision hereof for such purpose), regardless of whether any such notice is given before or after such change in GAAP 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.
ARTICLE II
The Credits
SECTION 2.01. Commitments. (a) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender agrees to make 364-Day Facility Loans to the Borrower from time to time during the 364-Day Facility Availability Period in an aggregate principal amount that will not result in (i) such Lender’s 364-Day Facility Credit Exposure exceeding such Lender’s 364-Day Facility Commitment or (ii) the total 364-Day Facility Credit Exposures exceeding the total 364-Day Facility Commitments. Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may borrow, prepay and reborrow 364-Day Facility Loans.
(b) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender agrees to make Multi-Year Facility Loans to the Borrower from time to time during the Multi-Year Facility Availability Period in an aggregate principal amount that will not result in (i) such Lender's Multi-Year Facility Credit Exposure exceeding such Lender's Multi-Year Facility Commitment or (ii) the total Multi-Year Facility Credit Exposures exceeding the total Multi-Year Facility Commitments. Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may borrow, prepay and reborrow Multi-Year Facility Loans.
SECTION 2.02. Loans and Borrowings. (a) Each 364-Day Facility Loan shall be made as part of a Borrowing consisting of 364-Day Facility Loans made by the Lenders ratably in accordance with their respective 364-Day Facility Commitments. Each Multi-Year Facility Loan shall be made as part of a Borrowing consisting of Multi-Year Facility Loans made by the Lenders ratably in accordance with their respective Multi-Year Facility Commitments. The failure of any Lender to make any Loan required to be made by it shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligations hereunder; provided that the Commitments of the Lenders are several and no Lender shall be responsible for any other Lender’s failure to make Loans as required.
(b) Subject to Section 2.11, each Borrowing shall be comprised entirely of ABR Loans or Eurodollar Loans as the Borrower may request in accordance herewith. Each Lender at its option may make any Eurodollar Loan by causing any domestic or foreign branch or Affiliate of such Lender to make such Loan; provided that any exercise of such option shall not affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay such Loan in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
(c) At the commencement of each Interest Period for any Eurodollar Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $5,000,000 and not less than $10,000,000. At the time that each ABR Borrowing is made, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $5,000,000 and not less than $10,000,000; provided that an ABR Borrowing of either Class may be in an aggregate amount that is equal to the entire unused balance of the total 364-Day Facility Commitments or Multi-Year Facility Commitments, as applicable. Borrowings of more than one Type and Class may be outstanding at the same time; provided that there shall not at any time be more than a total of six 364-Day Facility Eurodollar Borrowings or six Multi-Year Facility Eurodollar Borrowings outstanding.
(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Borrower shall not be entitled to request, or to elect to convert or continue, (i) any Borrowing of 364-Day Facility Loans if the Interest Period requested with respect thereto would end after the 364-Day Facility Maturity Date and (ii) any Borrowing of Multi-Year Facility Loans if the Interest Period requested with respect thereto would end after the Multi-Year Facility Maturity Date.
SECTION 2.03. Requests for Borrowings. To request a Borrowing, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request by telephone (a) in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, three Business Days before the date of the proposed Borrowing or (b) in the case of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, one Business Day before the date of the proposed Borrowing. Each such telephonic Borrowing Request shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery or facsimile to the Administrative Agent of a written Borrowing Request in a form approved by the Administrative Agent and signed by the Borrower. Each such telephonic and written Borrowing Request shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:
(i) the aggregate amount of the requested Borrowing;
(ii) the date of such Borrowing, which shall be a Business Day;
(iii) whether such Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a Eurodollar Borrowing and whether such Borrowing is of 364-Day Facility Loans or Multi-Year Facility Loans;
(iv) in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, the initial Interest Period to be applicable thereto, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term "Interest Period"; and
(v) the location and number of the Borrower's account to which funds are to be disbursed, which shall comply with the requirements of Section 2.04.
If no election as to the Type of Borrowing is specified, then the requested Borrowing shall be an ABR Borrowing. If no Interest Period is specified with respect to any requested Eurodollar Borrowing, then the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month’s duration. Promptly following receipt of a Borrowing Request in accordance with this Section, the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the details thereof and of the amount of such Lender’s Loan to be made as part of the requested Borrowing.
SECTION 2.04. Funding of Borrowings. (a) Each Lender shall make each Loan to be made by it hereunder on the proposed date thereof by wire transfer of immediately available funds by 12:00 noon, New York City time, to the account of the Administrative Agent most recently designated by it for such purpose by notice to the Lenders. The Administrative Agent will make such Loans available to the Borrower by promptly crediting the amounts so received, in like funds, to an account of the Borrower maintained with the Administrative Agent in New York City and designated by the Borrower in the applicable Borrowing Request.
(b) Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the proposed date of any Borrowing that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender's share of such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available on such date in accordance with paragraph (a) of this Section and may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower a corresponding amount. In such event, if a Lender has not in fact made its share of the applicable Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, then the applicable Lender and the Borrower severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is made available to the Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at (i) in the case of such Lender, the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation or (ii) in the case of the Borrower, the interest rate applicable to ABR Loans. If such Lender pays such amount to the Administrative Agent, then such amount shall constitute such Lender's Loan included in such Borrowing.
SECTION 2.05. Interest Elections. (a) Each Borrowing initially shall be of the Type specified in the applicable Borrowing Request and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, shall have an initial Interest Period as specified in such Borrowing Request. Thereafter, the Borrower may elect to convert such Borrowing to a different Type or to continue such Borrowing and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, may elect Interest Periods therefor, all as provided in this Section. The Borrower may elect different options with respect to different portions of the affected Borrowing, in which case each such portion shall be allocated ratably among the Lenders holding the Loans comprising such Borrowing, and the Loans comprising each such portion shall be considered a separate Borrowing.
(b) To make an election pursuant to this Section, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such election by telephone by the time that a Borrowing Request would be required under Section 2.03 if the Borrower were requesting a 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 facsimile to the Administrative Agent of a written Interest Election Request in a form approved by the Administrative Agent and signed by the Borrower.
(c) Each telephonic and written Interest Election Request shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:
(i) the Borrowing to which such Interest Election Request applies and, if different options are being elected with respect to different portions thereof, the portions thereof to be allocated to each resulting Borrowing (in which case the information to be specified pursuant to clauses (iii) and (iv) below shall be specified for each resulting Borrowing);
(ii) the effective date of the election made pursuant to such Interest Election Request, which shall be a Business Day;
(iii) whether the resulting Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a Eurodollar Borrowing; and
(iv) if the resulting Borrowing is a Eurodollar Borrowing, the Interest Period to be applicable thereto after giving effect to such election, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term "Interest Period".
If any such Interest Election Request requests a Eurodollar Borrowing but does not specify an Interest Period, then the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month’s duration.
(d) Promptly following receipt of an Interest Election Request, the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the details thereof and of such Lender's portion of each resulting Borrowing.
(e) If the Borrower fails to deliver a timely Interest Election Request with respect to a Eurodollar Borrowing prior to the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto, then, unless such Borrowing is repaid as provided herein, at the end of such Interest Period such Borrowing shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing. Notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the Administrative Agent, at the request of the Required Lenders, so notifies the Borrower, then, so long as an Event of Default is continuing (i) no outstanding Borrowing may be converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Borrowing and (ii) unless repaid, each Eurodollar Borrowing shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing at the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto.
SECTION 2.06. Termination, Reduction and Increase of Commitments. (a) Unless previously terminated, the 364-Day Facility Commitments shall terminate on the 364-Day Facility Commitment Termination Date and the Multi-Year Facility Commitments shall terminate on the Multi-Year Facility Commitment Termination Date.
(b) The Borrower may at any time terminate, or from time to time reduce, each of the 364-Day Facility Commitments and the Multi-Year Facility Commitments; provided that (i) each such reduction shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $5,000,000 and not less than $10,000,000 and (ii) the Borrower shall not terminate or reduce (A) the 364-Day Facility Commitments if, after giving effect to any concurrent prepayment of the Loans in accordance with Section 2.08, the aggregate 364-Day Facility Credit Exposures would exceed the total 364-Day Facility Commitments and (B) the Multi-Year Facility Commitments if, after giving effect to any concurrent prepayment of the Loans in accordance with Section 2.08, the aggregate Multi-Year Facility Credit Exposures would exceed the total Multi-Year Facility Commitments.
(c) The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of any election to terminate or reduce the 364-Day Facility Commitments or the Multi-Year Facility Commitments under paragraph (b) of this Section at least three Business Days prior to the effective date of such termination or reduction, specifying such election and the effective date thereof. Promptly following receipt of any notice, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each notice delivered by the Borrower pursuant to this Section shall be irrevocable; provided that a notice of termination of the 364-Day Facility Commitments or the Multi-Year Facility Commitments delivered by the Borrower may state that such notice is conditioned upon the effectiveness of other credit facilities, in which case such notice may be revoked by the Borrower (by notice to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the specified effective date) if such condition is not satisfied. Any termination or reduction of the 364-Day Facility Commitments or the Multi-Year Facility Commitments shall be permanent. Each reduction of the 364-Day Facility Commitments shall be made ratably among the Lenders in accordance with their respective 364-Day Facility Commitments. Each reduction of the Multi-Year Facility Commitments shall be made ratably among the Lenders in accordance with their respective Multi-Year Facility Commitments.
(d) The Borrower may at any time, by notice to the Administrative Agent, propose that the aggregate amount of the 364-Day Facility Commitments and Multi-Year Facility Commitments be increased (a "Commitment Increase"), effective as of a date (such date or such other date as agreed to by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower being the "Commitment Increase Date") that shall be (A) no later than six months after the Effective Date and (B) at least 15 Business Days after the date of such notice; provided that:
(1) the Borrower may not propose more than two Commitment Increases;
(2) the minimum proposed Commitment Increase for each Commitment Increase Date shall be $10,000,000;
(3) in no event shall the aggregate amount of the 364-Day Facility Commitments and the Multi-Year Facility Commitments at any time exceed $400,000,000; and
(4) no Default shall have occurred and be continuing on such Commitment Increase Date and immediately after giving effect to such Commitment Increase.
The Administrative Agent shall notify the Lenders promptly upon its receipt of any such notice. It shall be in each Lender’s sole discretion whether to increase its Commitment in connection with a proposed Commitment Increase. No later than 10 Business Days after its receipt of the Borrower’s notice, each Lender that is willing to increase its 364-Day Facility Commitment and Multi-Year Facility Commitment (an “Increasing Lender”) shall deliver to the Administrative Agent a notice, in which such Lender shall set forth the maximum increase in its Commitment to which such Lender is willing to agree, and the Administrative Agent shall promptly provide to the Borrower a copy of such Increasing Lender’s notice. The Borrower may arrange a Commitment Increase through the increase of the Commitments of one or more of the Lenders and/or the addition as Assuming Lenders of third-party lenders acceptable to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent as parties to this Agreement, provided that (i)(A) with respect to each Increasing Lender, the minimum increase in such Lender’s Commitment shall be $5,000,000, and (B) the minimum Commitment of each Assuming Lender that becomes a party to this Agreement pursuant to this Section 2.06(d) shall be $15,000,000, and (ii) any Commitment Increase shall be allocated ratably between the 364-Day Facility Commitments and Multi-Year Facility Commitments (calculated based on the aggregate amount of Commitments and Loans outstanding of a Class as a percentage of the aggregate Commitments and Loans outstanding hereunder). If agreement is reached prior to the Commitment Increase Date with the Increasing Lenders and Assuming Lenders, if any, as to a Commitment Increase (the amount of which may be less than that specified in the applicable notice from the Borrower), the Borrower shall deliver, no later than one day prior to the Commitment Increase Date, a notice to the Administrative Agent (and the Administrative Agent shall give notice thereof to the Lenders (including any Assuming Lenders)).
On the Commitment Increase Date, the Assuming Lenders, if any, shall become Lenders hereunder as of the Commitment Increase Date and the Commitments of such Increasing Lenders and such Assuming Lenders shall become or be, as the case may be, as of the Commitment Increase Date the amounts specified in the notice delivered by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent; provided that:
(x) with respect to each Assuming Lender, the Administrative Agent shall have received, on or prior to 9:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the Commitment Increase Date, an appropriate Assumption and Acceptance, duly executed by such Assuming Lender, the Borrower and the Administrative Agent; and
(y) each Increasing Lender that proposes to increase its Commitment in connection with such Commitment Increase shall have delivered, on or prior to 9:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the Commitment Increase Date, confirmation in writing satisfactory to the Administrative Agent as to its increased Commitment and a copy of such confirmation to the Borrower.
Upon its receipt of notice from a Lender that it is increasing its Commitment hereunder, the Administrative Agent shall (I) record the information contained therein in the Register and (II) give prompt notice thereof to the Borrower. Upon its receipt of an Assumption and Acceptance executed by an Assuming Lender, the Administrative Agent shall, if such Assumption and Acceptance has been completed, (i) accept such Assumption and Acceptance, (ii) record the information contained therein in the Register and (iii) give prompt notice thereof to the Borrower.
In the event that the Administrative Agent shall not have received notice from the Borrower as to such agreement on or prior to the Commitment Increase Date or the Borrower shall, by notice to the Administrative Agent prior to the Commitment Increase Date, withdraw such proposal or any of the actions provided for in clauses (x) and (y) above shall not have occurred by the Commitment Increase Date, such proposal by the Borrower shall be deemed not to have been made. In such event, the actions theretofore taken under clauses (x) and (y) above shall be deemed to be of no effect, and all the rights and obligations of the parties shall continue as if no such proposal had been made.
In the event that the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower as to such agreement on or prior to the Commitment Increase Date and the action provided for in clauses (x) and (y) above shall have occurred by 9:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the Commitment Increase Date, the Administrative Agent shall notify the Lenders (including the Assuming Lenders) of the occurrence of the Commitment Increase Date promptly and in any event by 10:00 A.M. (New York City time) on such date by facsimile. Each Increasing Lender and each Assuming Lender shall, before 11:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the Commitment Increase Date, make available for the account of its applicable lending office to the Administrative Agent at its address referred to in Section 8.01, in same day funds, an amount equal to such Increasing Lender’s or Assuming Lender’s ratable portion of the 364-Facility Borrowings and/or Multi-Year Facility Borrowings then outstanding (calculated based on its 364-Day Facility Commitment and Multi-Year Facility Commitment as a percentage of the aggregate 364-Day Facility Commitments and Multi-Year Facility Commitments, respectively, outstanding after giving effect to the relevant Commitment Increase). After the Administrative Agent’s receipt of such funds, the Administrative Agent will promptly thereafter cause to be distributed like funds to the Lenders for the account of their respective applicable lending offices in an amount to each Lender such that the aggregate amount of the outstanding 364-Day Facility Loans and Multi-Year Facility Loans owing to each Lender after giving effect to such distribution equals such Lender’s ratable portion of the 364-Day Facility Loans or Multi-Year Facility Loans then outstanding (calculated based on its 364-Day Facility Commitment and Multi-Year Facility Commitment as a percentage of the aggregate 364-Day Facility Commitments and Multi-Year Facility Commitments, respectively, outstanding after giving effect to the relevant Commitment Increase). If the Commitment Increase Date shall occur on a date that is not the last day of the Interest Period for all Eurodollar Borrowings then outstanding, (a) the Borrower shall pay any amounts owing pursuant to Section 2.13 as a result of the distributions to Lenders under this Section 2.06(d) and (b) for each Loan comprised of Eurodollar Borrowings, the respective Loans made by the Increasing Lenders and the Assuming Lenders pursuant to this Section 2.06(d) shall be ABR Borrowings until the last day of the then existing Interest Period for such Borrowing.
SECTION 2.07. Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt. (a) The Borrower hereby unconditionally promises to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender the then unpaid principal amount of (i) each 364-Day Facility Loan on the 364-Day Facility Maturity Date and (ii) each Multi-Year Facility Loan on the Multi-Year Facility Maturity Date.>
(b) Each Lender shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice an account or accounts
evidencing the indebtedness of the Borrower to such Lender resulting from each Loan made by such Lender,
including the amounts of principal and interest payable and paid to such Lender from time to time hereunder.
(c) The Administrative Agent shall maintain accounts in which it shall record (i) the amount
of each Loan made hereunder, the Class and Type thereof and the Interest Period applicable thereto, (ii) the
amount of any principal or interest due and payable or to become due and payable from the Borrower to each Lender
hereunder and (iii) the amount of any sum received by the Administrative Agent hereunder for the account of the
Lenders and each Lender's share thereof.
(d) The entries made in the accounts maintained pursuant to paragraph (b) or (c) of this
Section shall be prima facie evidence of the existence and amounts of the obligations recorded therein; provided
that the failure of any Lender or the Administrative Agent to maintain such accounts or any error therein shall
not in any manner affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay the Loans in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement.
(e) Any Lender may request that Loans made by it be evidenced by a promissory note. In such
event, the Borrower shall prepare, execute and deliver to such Lender a promissory note payable to the order of
such Lender (or, if requested by such Lender, to such Lender and its registered assigns) and in a form approved
by the Administrative Agent. Thereafter, the Loans evidenced by such promissory note and interest thereon shall
at all times (including after assignment pursuant to Section 8.04) be represented by one or more promissory notes
in such form payable to the order of the payee named therein (or, if such promissory note is a registered note,
to such payee and its registered assigns).
SECTION 2.08. Prepayment of Loans. (a) The Borrower shall have the right at any time and from time to time to prepay any Borrowing in whole or in part, subject to prior notice in accordance with paragraph (b) of this Section.
(b) The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent by telephone (confirmed by facsimile) of any prepayment hereunder (i) in the case of prepayment of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, three Business Days before the date of prepayment or (ii) in the case of prepayment of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, one Business Day 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 364-Day Facility Commitments or Multi-Year Facility Commitments as contemplated by Section 2.06, then such notice of prepayment may be revoked if such notice of termination is revoked in accordance with Section 2.06. Promptly following receipt of any such notice relating to a Borrowing, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each partial prepayment of any Borrowing 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. Each prepayment of a Borrowing shall be applied ratably to the Loans included in the prepaid Borrowing. Prepayments shall be accompanied by accrued interest to the extent required by Section 2.10.
SECTION 2.09. Fees. (a) The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a facility fee, which shall accrue at the Applicable Rate on the daily amount of the 364-Day Facility Commitment of such Lender (whether used or unused) during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the 364-Day Facility Commitment Termination Date; provided that, if such Lender continues to have any 364-Day Facility Credit Exposure after the 364-Day Facility Commitment Termination Date, then such facility fee shall continue to accrue on the daily amount of such Lender’s 364-Day Facility Credit Exposure from and including the 364-Day Facility Commitment Termination Date to but excluding the date on which such Lender ceases to have any 364-Day Facility Credit Exposure. Accrued facility fees shall be payable in arrears on the last day of March, June, September and December of each year and on the 364-Day Facility Commitment Termination Date, commencing on the first such date to occur after the date hereof; provided that any facility fees accruing after the 364-Day Facility Commitment Termination Date shall be payable on demand. All such facility fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).
(b) The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a
facility fee, which shall accrue at the Applicable Rate on the daily amount of the Multi-Year Facility Commitment
of such Lender (whether used or unused) during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding
the Multi-Year Facility Commitment Termination Date; provided that, if such Lender continues to have any
Multi-Year Facility Credit Exposure after the Multi-Year Facility Commitment Termination Date, then such facility
fee shall continue to accrue on the daily amount of such Lender's Multi-Year Facility Credit Exposure from and
including the Multi-Year Facility Commitment Termination Date to but excluding the date on which such Lender
ceases to have any Multi-Year Facility Credit Exposure. Accrued facility fees shall be payable in arrears on the
last day of March, June, September and December of each year and on the Multi-Year Facility Commitment
Termination Date, commencing on the first such date to occur after the date hereof; provided that any facility
fees accruing after the Multi-Year Facility Commitment Termination Date shall be payable on demand. All such
facility fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall be payable for the actual number of
days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).
(c) The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for its own account, fees payable
in the amounts and at the times separately agreed upon between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.
(d) All fees payable hereunder shall be paid on the dates due, in immediately available funds,
to the Administrative Agent for distribution, in the case of facility fees, to the Lenders. Fees paid shall not
be refundable under any circumstances.
SECTION 2.10. Interest. (a) The Loans comprising each ABR Borrowing shall bear interest at the Alternate Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate.
(b) The Loans comprising each Eurodollar Borrowing shall bear interest at the Adjusted LIBO
Rate for the Interest Period in effect for such Borrowing plus the Applicable Rate.
(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any principal of or interest on any Loan or any fee or
other amount payable by the Borrower hereunder is not paid when due, whether at stated maturity, upon
acceleration or otherwise, such overdue amount shall bear interest, after as well as before judgment, at a rate
per annum equal to (i) in the case of overdue principal of any Loan, 2% plus the rate otherwise applicable to
such Loan as provided in the preceding paragraphs of this Section or (ii) in the case of any other amount, 2%
plus the rate applicable to ABR Loans as provided in paragraph (a) of this Section.
(d) Accrued interest on each Loan shall be payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date
for such Loan and, in the case of 364-Day Facility Loans, upon each of the 364-Day Facility Commitment
Termination Date and the 364-Day Facility Maturity Date and, in the case of Multi-Year Facility Loans, upon each
of the Multi-Year Facility Commitment Termination Date and the Multi-Year Facility Maturity Date; provided that
(i) interest accrued pursuant to paragraph (c) of this Section shall be payable on demand, (ii) in the event of
any repayment or prepayment of any Loan (other than a prepayment of an ABR Loan of either Class prior to the end
of the Availability Period with respect to such Class), accrued interest on the principal amount repaid or
prepaid shall be payable on the date of such repayment or prepayment and (iii) in the event of any conversion of
any Eurodollar Loan prior to the end of the current Interest Period therefor, accrued interest on such Loan shall
be payable on the effective date of such conversion.
(e) All interest hereunder shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days, except that
interest computed by reference to the Alternate Base Rate at times when the Alternate Base Rate is based on the
Prime Rate shall be computed on the basis of a year of 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year), and in each case
shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day). The
applicable Alternate Base Rate, Adjusted LIBO Rate or LIBO Rate shall be determined by the Administrative Agent,
and such determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error.
SECTION 2.11. Alternate Rate of Interest. If prior to the commencement of any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Borrowing:
(a) the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent
manifest error) that adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining the Adjusted LIBO Rate
or the LIBO Rate, as applicable, for such Interest Period; or
(b) the Administrative Agent is advised by the Required Lenders that the Adjusted LIBO Rate or
the LIBO Rate, as applicable, for such Interest Period will not adequately and fairly reflect the cost
to such Lenders of making or maintaining their Loans included in such Borrowing for such Interest Period;
then the Administrative Agent shall give notice thereof to the Borrower and the Lenders by telephone or facsimile as promptly as practicable thereafter and, until the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower and the Lenders that the circumstances giving rise to such notice no longer exist, (i) any Interest Election Request that requests the conversion of any Borrowing to, or continuation of any Borrowing as, a Eurodollar Borrowing shall be ineffective and (ii) if any Borrowing Request requests a Eurodollar Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be made as an ABR Borrowing; provided that if the circumstances giving rise to such notice affect only one Type of Borrowings, then the other Type of Borrowings shall be permitted.
SECTION 2.12. Increased Costs. (a) If any Change in Law shall:
(i) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit or similar requirement
against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended by, any Lender (except any
such reserve requirement reflected in the Adjusted LIBO Rate); or
(ii) impose on any Lender or the London interbank market any other condition affecting this
Agreement or Eurodollar Loans made by such Lender;
and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender of making or maintaining any Eurodollar Loan (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan) or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender hereunder (whether of principal, interest or otherwise), then the Borrower will pay to such Lender such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.
(b) If any Lender reasonably determines that any Change in Law regarding capital requirements
has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender's capital or on the capital of such
Lender's holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement or the Loans made by such Lender to a level
below that which such Lender or such Lender's holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law
(taking into consideration such Lender's policies and the policies of such Lender's holding company with respect
to capital adequacy), then from time to time the Borrower will pay to such Lender such additional amount or
amounts as will compensate such Lender or such Lender's holding company for any such reduction suffered.
(c) A certificate of a Lender setting forth the amount or amounts (including the basis of the
calculation used to determine such amount or amounts) necessary to compensate such Lender or its holding company,
as the case may be, as specified in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section shall be delivered to the Borrower and
shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any
such certificate within 10 days after receipt thereof.
(d) Failure or delay on the part of any Lender to demand compensation pursuant to this Section
shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender's right to demand such compensation; provided that the Borrower
shall not be required to compensate a Lender pursuant to this Section for any increased costs or reductions
incurred more than 270 days prior to the date that such Lender notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law giving
rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lender'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 270-day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof.
SECTION 2.13. Break Funding Payments. In the event of (a) the payment of any principal of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of an Interest Period applicable thereto (including as a result of an Event of Default or as a result of a Commitment Increase pursuant to Section 2.06(d)), (b) the conversion of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto, (c) the failure to borrow, convert, continue or prepay any Eurodollar Loan on the date specified in any notice delivered pursuant hereto (regardless of whether such notice may be revoked under Section 2.08(b) and is revoked in accordance therewith), or (d) the assignment of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.16, then, in any such event, the Borrower shall compensate each Lender for the loss, cost and expense attributable to such event. In the case of a Eurodollar Loan, such loss, cost or expense to any Lender shall be deemed to include an amount reasonably 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 dollar deposits of a comparable amount and period from other banks in the eurodollar market. A certificate of any Lender setting forth any amount or amounts (including the basis of the calculation used to determine such amount or amounts) that such Lender is entitled to receive pursuant to this Section shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 10 days after receipt thereof.
SECTION 2.14. Taxes. (a) Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder shall be made free and clear of and without deduction for any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes; provided that if the Borrower shall be required to deduct any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes from such payments, then (i) the sum payable shall be increased as necessary so that after making all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section) the Administrative Agent or Lender (as the case may be) receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deductions been made, (ii) the Borrower shall make such deductions and (iii) the Borrower shall pay the full amount deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.
(b) In addition, the Borrower shall pay any Other Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority
in accordance with applicable law.
(c) The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent and each Lender, within 10 days
after written demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes paid by the
Administrative Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, on or with respect to any payment by or on account of
any obligation of the Borrower hereunder (including Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes imposed or asserted on or
attributable to amounts payable under this Section) and any penalties, interest and reasonable expenses arising
therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes were correctly or legally
imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or
liability delivered to the Borrower by a Lender, or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of
a Lender, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.
(d) As soon as practicable after any payment of Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes by the
Borrower to a Governmental Authority, the Borrower 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.
(e) Any Foreign Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding tax
under the law of the jurisdiction in which the Borrower is located, or any treaty to which such jurisdiction is a
party, with respect to payments under this Agreement shall deliver to the Borrower (with a copy to the
Administrative Agent), at the time or times prescribed by applicable law, such properly completed and executed
documentation prescribed by applicable law or reasonably requested by the Borrower as will permit such payments
to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate.
(f) If the Administrative Agent or a Lender determines, in its sole discretion, that it has
received a refund of any Taxes or Other Taxes as to which it has been indemnified by the Borrower or with respect
to which the Borrower has paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section 2.14, it shall promptly pay over such
refund to the Borrower (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts paid, by the
Borrower under this Section 2.14 with respect to the Taxes or Other Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all
out-of-pocket expenses of the Administrative Agent or such Lender and without interest (other than any interest
paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund); provided, that the Borrower, upon the request of the Administrative Agent or such Lender, agrees to repay the amount paid over to the Borrower (plus
any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to the Administrative
Agent or such Lender in the event the Administrative Agent or such Lender is required to repay such refund to
such Governmental Authority. This Section shall not be construed to require the Administrative Agent or any
Lender to make available its tax returns (or any other information relating to its taxes which it deems
confidential) to the Borrower or any other Person.
SECTION 2.15. Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs. (a) The Borrower shall make each payment required to be made by it hereunder (whether of principal, interest, fees, or of amounts payable under Section 2.12, 2.13 or 2.14, or otherwise) prior to 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the date when due, in immediately available funds, without set-off or counterclaim. Any amounts received after such time on any date may, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent, be deemed to have been received on the next succeeding Business Day for purposes of calculating interest thereon. All such payments shall be made to the Administrative Agent at its offices at 000 Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx. The Administrative Agent shall distribute any such payments received by it for the account of any other Person to the appropriate recipient promptly following receipt thereof. If any payment hereunder shall be due on a day that is not a Business Day, the date for payment shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day, and, in the case of any payment accruing interest, interest thereon shall be payable for the period of such extension. All payments hereunder shall be made in dollars.
(b) If at any time insufficient funds are received by and available to the Administrative
Agent to pay fully all amounts of principal, interest and fees then due hereunder, such funds shall be applied
(i) first, towards payment of interest and fees then due hereunder, ratably among the parties entitled thereto in
accordance with the amounts of interest and fees then due to such parties, and (ii) second, towards payment of
principal then due hereunder, ratably among the parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of
principal then due to such parties.
(c) If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of set-off or counterclaim or otherwise,
obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of its Loans resulting in such Lender receiving
payment of a greater proportion of the aggregate amount of its Loans and accrued interest thereon than the
proportion received by any other Lender, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall purchase (for
cash at face value) participations in the Loans of other Lenders to the extent necessary so that the benefit of
all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of
and accrued interest on their respective Loans; provided that (i) if any such participations are purchased and
all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations shall be rescinded and
the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest, and (ii) the provisions of this
paragraph shall not be construed to apply to any payment made by the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with
the express terms of this Agreement or any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or
sale of a participation in any of its Loans to any assignee or participant, other than to the Borrower or any
Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof (as to which the provisions of this paragraph shall apply). The Borrower
consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so under applicable law, that any
Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the foregoing arrangements may exercise against the Borrower rights
of set-off and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor
of the Borrower in the amount of such participation.
(d) Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower prior to the
date on which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders hereunder that the
Borrower will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower has made such payment
on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to the Lenders the
amount due. In such event, if the Borrower has not in fact made such payment, then each of the Lenders severally
agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender with
interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the
date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate
determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.
(e) If any Lender shall fail to make any payment required to be made by it pursuant to Section
2.04(b) or 2.15(d), then the Administrative Agent may, in its discretion (notwithstanding any contrary provision
hereof), apply any amounts thereafter received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender to
satisfy such Lender's obligations under such Sections until all such unsatisfied obligations are fully paid.
SECTION 2.16. Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders. (a) If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.12, or if the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.14, then such Lender shall use reasonable efforts to designate a different lending office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 2.12 or 2.14, as the case may be, in the future and (ii) would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender. The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment.
(b) If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.12, or if the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.14, or if any Lender defaults in its obligation to fund Loans hereunder, then the Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in Section 8.04), all its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement to an assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment); provided that (i) the Borrower shall have received the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld, (ii) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder, from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrower (in the case of all other amounts) and (iii) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 2.12 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 2.14, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments. A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment and delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrower to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply.
ARTICLE III
Representations and Warranties
The Borrower represents and warrants to the Lenders that:
SECTION 3.01. Corporate Existence. Each of the Borrower and its Material Subsidiaries: (a) is a corporation, partnership or other entity duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization; (b) has all requisite corporate power, and has all material Governmental Approvals necessary to own its assets and carry on its business as now being or as proposed to be conducted; and (c) is qualified to do business and is in good standing in all jurisdictions in which the nature of the business conducted by it makes such qualification necessary and where failure to so qualify could have a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 3.02. Financial Condition. The Borrower has heretofore furnished to each of the Lenders the consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries as at September 30, 2001 and the related consolidated statement of income and retained earnings and cash flow of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries for the fiscal year ended on said date, with the opinion thereon (in the case of said consolidated balance sheet and statements) of PricewaterhouseCoopers, and the unaudited consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries as at June 30, 2002 and the related consolidated statement of income, retained earnings and cash flow of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries for the nine-month period ended on such date. All such financial statements are complete and correct in all material respects and fairly present in all material respects the consolidated financial condition of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries (subject, in the case of such financial statements as at June 30, 2002, to normal year-end audit adjustments), all in accordance with GAAP and practices applied on a consistent basis. None of the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries has on the date hereof any material contingent liabilities, liabilities for taxes, unusual forward or long-term commitments or unrealized or anticipated losses from any unfavorable commitments, except as referred to or reflected or provided for in said balance sheets as at said dates. Since September 30, 2001, there has been no material adverse change in the consolidated financial condition, operations, prospects or business taken as a whole of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries from that set forth in said financial statements as at said date.
SECTION 3.03. Litigation. Except as set forth in the Borrower’s Annual Report on SEC Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2001 or in any document subsequently filed pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, there are no legal or arbitral proceedings, or any proceedings by or before any governmental or regulatory authority or agency, now pending to which the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary is a party, or pending or threatened (of which the Borrower has knowledge), in which there is a reasonable possibility of an adverse decision, which could have a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 3.04. No Breach. None of the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the consummation of the Transactions or compliance with the terms and provisions hereof will conflict with or result in a breach of, or require any consent under, the articles of incorporation or by-laws of the Borrower, or any applicable law or regulation, or, to the best knowledge of the Borrower, any order, writ, injunction or decree of any court or governmental or regulatory authority, agency, instrumentality or political subdivision thereof, or any material agreement or instrument to which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which any of them or any of their property is bound or to which any of them or any of their property is subject, or constitute a default under any such agreement or instrument.
SECTION 3.05. Action. The Borrower has all necessary corporate power, authority and legal right to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under this Agreement; the execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of this Agreement have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on its part (including, without limitation, any required shareholder approvals); and this Agreement has been duly and validly executed and delivered by the Borrower and constitutes its legal, valid and binding obligation, enforceable against the Borrower in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by (a) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws of general applicability affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights and (b) the application of general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).
SECTION 3.06. Approvals. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.06 hereto (which Governmental Approvals and any renewals thereof, have been made or obtained and are in full force and effect) no Governmental Approval and no authorization, approval or consent of, and no filing or registration with, any securities exchange, is necessary for the execution, delivery or performance by the Borrower of this Agreement or for the legality, validity or enforceability hereof.
SECTION 3.07. Use of Credit. Neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries shall, directly or indirectly, use any of the proceeds of any extension of credit hereunder for any purpose, whether immediate, incidental, or ultimate, of buying a “margin stock” or of maintaining, reducing or retiring any indebtedness originally incurred to purchase a stock that is currently a “margin stock” and the extension of credit hereunder will not constitute an extension of “purpose credit” that is directly or indirectly secured by “margin stock”, in each case within the meaning of Regulation U of the Board of Governors of the United States Federal Reserve System Board (12 C.F.R. 221, as amended), and will not violate or result in the violation of Regulation U or of Regulation T (12 C.F.R. 220, as amended) or of Regulation X (12 C.F.R. 224, as amended) or any other regulation of such Board.
SECTION 3.08. ERISA. Neither a “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)) nor an “accumulated funding deficiency” (within the meaning of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA) has occurred during the six-year period prior to the date on which this representation is made or deemed made with respect to any Plan and each Plan has complied in all material respects with the applicable provisions of ERISA and the Code. Neither the Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate of the Borrower incurred any liability under Title IV of ERISA which could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, and no Lien in favor of PBGC or a Plan has arisen, during such six-year period. The present value of all accumulated benefit obligations under each Plan which is a Single Employer Plan (as defined in ERISA) (based on the assumptions used for purposes of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 87) did not, as of the last annual valuation date prior to the date on which this representation is made or deemed made, exceed the value of the assets of such Plan allocable to such accumulated benefit obligations by an amount greater than the lesser of (i) $200,000,000, (ii) 20% of the Consolidated Net Worth, or (iii) 10% of the Consolidated Capitalization. Neither the Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate of the Borrower has made a filing pursuant to Section 412(d) of the Code or Section 303(d) of ERISA of an application for a waiver of the minimum funding standard with respect to any Plan. Neither the Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has had a complete or partial withdrawal from any Plan that has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in a material liability under ERISA and neither the Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate would become subject to any material liability under ERISA if the Borrower or any such ERISA Affiliate were to withdraw completely from all Multiemployer Plans as of the valuation date most closely preceding the date on which this representation is made or deemed made. No such Multiemployer Plan is insolvent or in reorganization, within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA.
SECTION 3.09. Taxes. Each of the Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries has filed or caused to be filed all Federal, state and other material tax returns that are required to be filed and has paid all Taxes shown to be due and payable on such returns or on any assessments made against it or any of its property and all other Taxes imposed on it or any of its property by any Governmental Authority (other than any Taxes the amount or validity of which is currently being contested in good faith by appropriate proceeding and with respect to which reserves in conformity with GAAP have been provided on the books of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries, as the case may be); no material Tax Lien has been filed and, to the knowledge of the Borrower, no material claim is being asserted with respect to any such Tax. The Borrower has not given or been requested to give a waiver of the statute of limitations relating to the payment of Federal, state, local and foreign Taxes or other impositions except for (i) the extension of the statute of limitation with respect to the Borrower’s 1998 fiscal year Federal tax return through December 31, 2002, and (ii) any extensions that may be granted with respect to tax audits by the tax authorities of the State of New York and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ongoing as of the date hereof.
SECTION 3.10. Investment Company Act. Neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is an “investment company”, or a company “controlled” by an “investment company”, within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
SECTION 3.11. Public Utility Holding Company Act. The Borrower is a “holding company” registered under the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, as amended (“PUHCA”). No Loan will be made in violation of PUHCA or any rule or regulation thereunder.
SECTION 3.12. Environmental Matters. As of the date of this Agreement: (i) each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries has obtained all environmental, health and safety permits, licenses and other authorizations required under all Environmental Laws to carry on its business as now being conducted, except to the extent failure to have any such permit, license or authorization would not have a Material Adverse Effect; and (ii) each of such permits, licenses and authorizations is in full force and effect and, to the knowledge of the Borrower after due inquiry, each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries is in compliance with the terms and conditions thereof, and is also in compliance with all other limitations, restrictions, conditions, standards, prohibitions, requirements, obligations, schedules and timetables contained in any applicable Environmental Law or in any regulation, code, plan, order, decree, judgment, injunction, notice or demand letter issued, entered, promulgated or approved thereunder, except to the extent failure to comply therewith would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 3.13. Subsidiaries, Etc. The Borrower owns, free and clear of Liens, and has the unencumbered right to vote, all outstanding ownership interests in each of its Material Subsidiaries; and all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of each such Material Subsidiary organized as a corporation is validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
SECTION 3.14. True and Complete Disclosure. The information, reports, financial statements, exhibits and schedules furnished in writing by or on behalf of the Borrower to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the negotiation, preparation or delivery of this Agreement or included herein or delivered pursuant hereto, when taken as a whole do not contain any untrue statement of material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements herein or therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. All written information furnished after the date hereof by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby will be true, complete and accurate in every material respect, or (in the case of projections) based on reasonable estimates, on the date as of which such information is stated or certified.
ARTICLE IV
Conditions
SECTION 4.01. Effective Date. The obligations of the Lenders to make Loans hereunder shall not become effective until the date on which each of the following conditions is satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 8.02):
(a) The Administrative Agent (or its counsel) shall have received from each party hereto
either (i) a counterpart of this Agreement signed on behalf of such party or (ii) written evidence
satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (which may include facsimile transmission of a signed signature
page of this Agreement) that such party has signed a counterpart of this Agreement.
(b) The Administrative Agent shall have received an opinion, dated as of the Effective Date,
of each of (i) Milbank, Tweed, Xxxxxx & XxXxxx LLP, special New York counsel to the Administrative
Agent, (ii) Xxxxxx, Xxxx & Priest LLP, special New York counsel to the Borrower, (iii) in-house counsel
to the Borrower, and (iv) Stryker, Tams & Xxxx LLP, special New Jersey counsel to the Borrower.
(c) The Administrative Agent shall have received such documents and certificates as the
Administrative Agent or its counsel may reasonably request relating to the organization, existence and
good standing of the Borrower, the authorization of the Transactions and any other legal matters
relating to the Borrower, this Agreement or the Transactions, all in form and substance satisfactory to
the Administrative Agent and its counsel.
(d) The Administrative Agent shall have received all fees and other amounts due and payable on
or prior to the Effective Date, including, to the extent invoiced, reimbursement or payment of all
reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel incurred in connection with the credit facilities
provided under this Agreement and any related documentation required to be reimbursed or paid by the
Borrower hereunder.
(e) The Administrative Agent shall have received satisfactory evidence that all Governmental
Approvals (including, without limitation, the Governmental Approvals set forth on Schedule 3.06 hereof)
and third-party approvals necessary or, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent, advisable in
connection with the Transactions, the repayment of the Indebtedness of the Borrower indicated on
Schedule 4.01 and the continuing operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries have been obtained and
are in full force and effect and all applicable waiting periods have expired with respect thereto
without any action being taken or threatened by any Governmental Authority or a third party which would
restrain, prevent or otherwise impose adverse conditions on the Transaction or the repayment of the
Indebtedness of the Borrower indicated on Schedule 4.01.
(f) The Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall have received the financial statements
required to be furnished by the Borrower pursuant to Section 3.02 hereof.
(g) The Administrative Agent shall have received satisfactory evidence that the principal of
and interest on, and all other amounts owing in respect of, the Indebtedness of the Borrower indicated
on Schedule 4.01 that is to be repaid shall have been (or shall be simultaneously) paid in full and that
any commitments to extend credit under the agreements or instruments relating to such Indebtedness shall
have been canceled or terminated.
(h) The representations and warranties of the Borrower set forth in this Agreement (including,
without limitations, the representations and warranties set forth in Section 3.03 and the last sentence
of Section 3.02) shall, as of the Effective Date, be true and correct in all material respects and no
Default shall have occurred and be continuing.
The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the Effective Date, and such notice shall be conclusive and binding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the obligations of the Lenders to make Loans hereunder shall not become effective unless each of the foregoing conditions is satisfied (or waived pursuant to Section 8.02) at or prior to 3:00 p.m., New York City time, on or before September 30, 2002 (and, in the event such conditions are not so satisfied or waived, the Commitments shall terminate at such time).
SECTION 4.02. Each Credit Event. The obligation of each Lender to make a Loan on the occasion of any Borrowing, is subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions:
(a) The representations and warranties of the Borrower set forth in this Agreement (including,
without limitations, the representations and warranties set forth in Section 3.03 but excluding the
representations and warranties set forth in the last sentence of Section 3.02) shall be true and correct
in all material respects on and as of the date of such Borrowing.
(b) At the time of and immediately after giving effect to such Borrowing no Default shall have
occurred and be continuing.
Each Borrowing shall be deemed to constitute a representation and warranty by the Borrower on the date thereof as to the matters specified in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section.
ARTICLE V
Covenants of the Borrower
The Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders and the Administrative Agent that, so long as any Commitment or Loan is outstanding and until payment in full of all amounts payable by the Borrower hereunder:
SECTION 5.01. Financial Statements, Etc. The Borrower shall deliver to each of the Lenders:
(a) as soon as available and in any event within 60 days after the end of each of the first
three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Borrower, consolidated statement of income and retained
earnings and cash flow of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries for such period and for the
period from the beginning of the respective fiscal year to the end of such period, and the related
consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries as at the end of such
period, setting forth in each case in comparative form to the extent required by SEC Form 10-Q the
corresponding consolidated figures for the corresponding period in the preceding fiscal year,
accompanied by a certificate of a senior Financial Officer of the Borrower, which certificate shall
state that said consolidated financial statements fairly present in all material respects the
consolidated financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower and its consolidated
Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP, consistently applied, as at the end of, and for, such period
(subject to normal year-end audit adjustments);
(b) as soon as available and in any event within 100 days after the end of each fiscal year of
the Borrower, consolidated statements of income, retained earnings and cash flow of the Borrower and its
consolidated Subsidiaries for such fiscal year and the related consolidated balance sheets of the
Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal year, setting forth in each case
in comparative form the corresponding consolidated figures for the preceding fiscal year and accompanied
by an opinion thereon of independent certified public accountants of recognized national standing, which
opinion shall state that said consolidated financial statements fairly present in all material respects
the consolidated financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower and its consolidated
Subsidiaries as at the end of, and for, such fiscal year in accordance with GAAP;
(c) as soon as available and in any event within 130 days after the end of each fiscal year of
the Borrower, consolidating statements of income, retained earnings and cash flow of the Borrower and
its consolidated Subsidiaries for such fiscal year and the related consolidating balance sheets of the
Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal year, all as such are filed with
the SEC in Borrower's form U5S.
(d) promptly upon their becoming publicly available (i) copies of all registration statements
and regular periodic reports, if any, which the Borrower shall have filed with the SEC under the
Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or any national securities exchange, (ii)
copies of any forms U1 or U1A which the Borrower shall have filed with the SEC under PUHCA relating to
the Borrower's or its Subsidiaries' financing activities and (iii) upon request of the Administrative
Agent or any Lender, copies of other forms, statements and reports, if any, which the Borrower shall
have filed with the SEC under PUHCA;
(e) promptly upon the mailing thereof to the shareholders of the Borrower generally, copies of
all financial statements, reports and proxy statements so mailed;
(f) as soon as possible, and in any event within 30 days after the Borrower knows or has
reason to believe that one or more of the following events has occurred or exists: (i) the occurrence
of a "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); (ii) a failure to
make any required contribution to a Plan; (iii) the creation of any Lien in favor of the PBGC or a Plan;
(iv) any withdrawal from, or the termination, insolvency or reorganization of any Multiemployer Plan, or
(v) the institution of proceedings or the taking of any other action by the PBGC or the Borrower, any
ERISA Affiliate or any Multiemployer Plan with respect to the withdrawal from, or the termination,
reorganization or insolvency of, any Plan;
(g) promptly after the Borrower knows or has reason to believe that any Default has occurred,
a notice of such Default describing the same in reasonable detail and, together with such notice or as
soon thereafter as possible, a description of the action that the Borrower has taken or proposes to take
with respect thereto;
(h) promptly prior to the expiration of any material Governmental Approval, a copy of a
renewal or extension of such Governmental Approval, in form and substance satisfactory to the Required
Lenders; and
(i) from time to time, such other information regarding the financial condition, operations,
business or prospects of the Borrower (including any change in the ratings established by the Rating
Agencies with respect to the Index Debt) or any of its Subsidiaries (including, without limitation, any
Plan or Multiemployer Plan and any reports or other information required to be filed under ERISA) as any
Lender or the Administrative Agent may reasonably request.
The Borrower will furnish to each Lender, at the time it furnishes each set of financial statements pursuant to paragraph (a) or (b) above, a certificate of a Financial Officer of the Borrower (i) to the effect that no Default has occurred and is continuing (or, if any Default has occurred and is continuing, describing the same in reasonable detail and describing the action that the Borrower has taken or proposes to take with respect thereto), and (ii) setting forth the calculations required to demonstrate that, as of the end of the fiscal quarter most recently ended, the Borrower is in compliance with Section 5.07 of this Agreement.
SECTION 5.02. Existence, Etc. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Material Subsidiaries to:
(a) preserve and maintain its legal existence and all of its material (i) rights,
(ii) privileges, (iii) licenses and (iv) franchises (provided that nothing in this Section 5.02 shall
prohibit any transaction expressly permitted under Section 5.04 hereof);
(b) comply with the requirements of all applicable laws, rules, regulations and orders of any
Governmental Authority if failure to comply with such requirements could have a Material Adverse Effect;
(c) pay and discharge all Taxes imposed on it or on its income or profits or on any of its
property prior to the date on which penalties attach thereto, except for any such Tax the payment of
which is being contested in good faith and by proper proceedings and against which adequate reserves are
being maintained;
(d) maintain all of its properties used or useful in its business in good working order and
condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted;
(e) keep adequate records and books of account, in which complete entries will be made in
accordance with GAAP consistently applied; and
(f) permit representatives of any Lender or the Administrative Agent, during normal business
hours, to examine, copy and make extracts from its books and records, to inspect any of its properties,
and to discuss its business and affairs with its officers, all to the extent reasonably requested by
such Lender or the Administrative Agent (as the case may be).
SECTION 5.03. Insurance. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Material Subsidiaries to, keep insured by financially sound and reputable insurers all property of a character usually insured by corporations engaged in the same or similar business similarly situated against loss or damage of the kinds and in the amounts customarily insured against by such corporations and carry such other insurance as is usually carried by such corporations.
SECTION 5.04. Prohibition of Fundamental Changes. The Borrower will not, nor will it permit any of its Material Subsidiaries to, enter into any transaction of merger or consolidation or amalgamation, or liquidate, wind up or dissolve itself (or suffer any liquidation or dissolution). The Borrower will not, nor will it permit any of its Material Subsidiaries to, without the consent of the Required Lenders (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld), convey, sell, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of, in one transaction or a series of transactions, all or any material part of its business or property, whether now owned or hereafter acquired. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 5.04:
(a) any Material Subsidiary of the Borrower may be merged or consolidated with or into: (i) the Borrower, if the Borrower shall be the continuing or surviving corporation or (ii) any other Subsidiary of the Borrower; provided that if any such transaction shall be between a Subsidiary and a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary, the Wholly-Owned Subsidiary shall be the continuing or surviving corporation; (b) any Material Subsidiary may sell, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of any or all of its property (upon voluntary liquidation or otherwise) to the Borrower or a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of the Borrower; and (c) the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary of the Borrower may merge or consolidate with or into any other Person if (i) in the case of a merger or consolidation of the Borrower, the Borrower is the continuing or surviving corporation and, in any other case, the continuing or surviving corporation is a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of the Borrower and (ii) after giving effect thereto no Default would exist hereunder.
SECTION 5.05. Limitation on Liens. The Borrower will not pledge, mortgage, hypothecate, or permit any other Lien upon, any property or assets at any time owned by it, without making effective provision whereby the obligations of the Borrower to pay the principal of and interest on the Loans and all other amounts payable hereunder shall be equally and ratably secured with the obligations secured by such Lien and with any other obligations (collectively, the “Other Obligations”) similarly entitled by their terms to be equally and ratably secured; provided that this restriction shall not apply to or prevent:
(a) the mortgaging, pledging, or establishing a Lien on, any property to secure Indebtedness
of the Borrower as part of the purchase price of such property, or the extension, renewal or refunding
of any such mortgage, pledge or Lien, on substantially the same property theretofore subject thereto or
on any part thereof;
(b) the acquisition by the Borrower of any property subject to mortgages, pledges or Liens
existing thereon at the time of acquisition (whether or not the obligations secured thereby are assumed
by the Borrower), and the extension, renewal or refunding of any such mortgage, pledge or Lien, on
substantially the same property theretofore subject thereto or on any part thereof;
(c) the pledging of its assets or security for the payment of any Tax demanded from the
Borrower by any public body so long as the Borrower in good faith is contesting its liability to pay the
same, or as security to be deposited with any State Insurance Department or similar public body in order
to entitle the Borrower to maintain self insurance under, or participate under any State insurance fund
provided for under any legislation designed to insure employees of the Borrower against injury or
occupational diseases or for any other purpose at any time required by law or governmental regulation as
a condition to the transaction of any business or the exercise of any privilege or license; or
(d) the pledging by the Borrower of up to 5% of its total assets (as defined under GAAP) for
the purpose of securing a stay or discharge in the course of any legal proceeding to which the Borrower
is a party;
but in no event shall the mortgage, pledge or Lien permitted by subdivisions (a) and (b) be in excess of 60% of the total purchase price of the property so acquired.
In case the Borrower shall propose to pledge, mortgage or hypothecate any assets or Property at any time owned by it to secure any Other Obligations, other than as permitted by the preceding paragraph of this Section 5.05, it will prior thereto give notice thereof to the Administrative Agent, and will prior to or simultaneously with such pledge, mortgage or hypothecation, by an agreement, indenture or other instrument to which the Administrative Agent is a party (or to the extent legally necessary, with a trustee), in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, effectively secure the obligations of the Borrower to pay the principal of and interest on the Loans and all other amounts payable hereunder equally and ratably with such Other Obligations by pledge, mortgage or hypothecation of such assets or property. Such agreement, indenture or other instrument shall contain such provisions as the Borrower and the Required Lenders shall deem advisable or appropriate or as the Required Lenders shall reasonably deem necessary in connection with such pledge, mortgage or hypothecation.
SECTION 5.06. Use of Proceeds. The Borrower will use the proceeds of the Loans hereunder solely (a) to pay its obligations under (i) its commercial paper program, (ii) other short-term credit facilities and (iii) maturing long-term debt obligations and (b) for the general corporate purposes of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business (in compliance with all applicable legal and regulatory requirements); provided that neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender shall have any responsibility as to the use of any of such proceeds.
SECTION 5.07. Financial Condition. The Borrower shall not permit the ratio of Consolidated Indebtedness to Consolidated Capitalization as at the last day of any fiscal quarter to exceed the following respective ratios during the following respective periods:
Period Ratio From the Effective Date through September 30, 2003 0.650 to 1.0 From October 1, 2003 Through September 30, 2004 0.625 to 1.0 From October 1, 2004 and at all times thereafter 0.600 to 1.0
ARTICLE VI
Events of Default
If one or more of the following events (herein called “Events of Default”) shall occur and be continuing:
(a) The Borrower shall: (i) default in the payment of any principal of any Loan when due
(whether at stated maturity or at mandatory or optional prepayment); or (ii) default in the payment of
any interest on any Loan, any fee or any other amount payable by it hereunder when due and such default
shall have continued unremedied for five or more days; or
(b) The Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries shall default in the payment when due of
any principal of or interest on any of its other Indebtedness aggregating $20,000,000 or more; or any
event specified in any note, agreement, indenture or other document evidencing or relating to any such
Indebtedness shall occur if the effect of such event is to cause, or (with the giving of any notice or
the lapse of time or both) to permit the holder or holders of such Indebtedness (or a trustee or agent
on behalf of such holder or holders) to cause, such Indebtedness to become due, or to be prepaid in full
(whether by redemption, purchase, offer to purchase or otherwise), prior to its stated maturity; or
(c) Any representation, warranty or certification made or deemed made herein (or in any
modification or supplement hereto) by the Borrower, or any certificate furnished to any Lender or the
Administrative Agent pursuant to the provisions hereof, shall prove to have been false or misleading as
of the time made or furnished in any material respect; or
(d) The Borrower shall default in the performance of any of its obligations under any of
Sections 5.01(g), 5.03, 5.04, 5.05 or 5.07 hereof; or the Borrower shall default in the performance of
any of its other obligations in this Agreement and such default shall continue unremedied for a period
of 30 days after notice thereof to the Borrower by the Administrative Agent or any Lender (through the
Administrative Agent); or
(e) The Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries shall admit in writing its inability to,
or be generally unable to, pay its debts as such debts become due; or
(f) The Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries shall (i) apply for or consent to the
appointment of, or the taking of possession by, a receiver, custodian, trustee, examiner or liquidator
of itself or of all or a substantial part of its property, (ii) make a general assignment for the
benefit of its creditors, (iii) commence a voluntary case under the Bankruptcy Code, (iv) file a
petition seeking to take advantage of any other law relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization,
liquidation, dissolution, arrangement or winding-up, or composition or readjustment of debts, (v) fail
to controvert in a timely and appropriate manner, or acquiesce in writing to, any petition filed against
it in an involuntary case under the Bankruptcy Code or (vi) take any corporate action for the purpose of
effecting any of the foregoing; or
(g) A proceeding or case shall be commenced, without the application or consent of the
Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries, in any court of competent jurisdiction, seeking (i) its
reorganization, liquidation, dissolution, arrangement or winding-up, or the composition or readjustment
of its debts, (ii) the appointment of a receiver, custodian, trustee, examiner, liquidator or the like
of the Borrower or such Subsidiary or of all or any substantial part of its property, or (iii) similar
relief in respect of the Borrower or such Subsidiary under any law relating to bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, winding-up, or composition or adjustment of debts, and such proceeding or case shall
continue undismissed, or an order, judgment or decree approving or ordering any of the foregoing shall
be entered and continue unstayed and in effect, for a period of 60 or more days; or an order for relief
against the Borrower or such Subsidiary shall be entered in an involuntary case under the Bankruptcy
Code; or
(h) A final judgment or judgments for the payment of money in excess of $5,000,000 in the
aggregate (exclusive of judgment amounts fully covered by insurance where the insurer has admitted
liability in respect of such judgment) or in excess of $10,000,000 in the aggregate (regardless of
insurance coverage) shall be rendered by one or more courts, administrative tribunals or other bodies
having jurisdiction against the Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries and the same shall not be
discharged (or provision shall not be made for such discharge), or a stay of execution thereof shall not
be procured, within 30 days from the date of entry thereof and the Borrower or the relevant Subsidiary
shall not, within said period of 30 days, or such longer period during which execution of the same shall
have been stayed, appeal therefrom and cause the execution thereof to be stayed during such appeal; or
(i) One of the following events shall occur: (i) any Person shall engage in any "prohibited
transaction" (as defined in Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code) involving any Plan; (ii)
any "accumulated funding deficiency" (as defined in Section 302 of ERISA), whether or not waived, shall
exist with respect to any Plan or any Lien in favor of the PBGC or a Plan shall arise on the assets of
the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate; (iii) a "reportable event" (as defined in Section 4043 of ERISA or
the regulations issued thereunder (other than an event for which the 30-day notice period is waived))
shall occur with respect to, or proceedings shall commence to have a trustee appointed, or a trustee
shall be appointed, to administer or to terminate, any Single Employer Plan (as defined in ERISA) which
"reportable event" or commencement of proceedings or appointment of a trustee is, in the reasonable
opinion of the Required Lenders, likely to result in the termination of such Plan for purposes of Title
IV of ERISA; (iv) any Single Employer Plan (as defined in ERISA) shall terminate for purposes of Title
IV of ERISA; (v) the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate shall, or in the reasonable opinion of the Required
Lenders is likely to, incur any liability in connection with a withdrawal from, or the insolvency or
reorganization of, a Multiemployer Plan; (vi) the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate shall make a filing
pursuant to Section 412(d) of the Code or Section 303(d) of ERISA of an application for a waiver of the
minimum funding standard with respect to any Plan; or (vii) any other event or condition shall occur or
exist with respect to a Plan; and, in each case in clauses (i) through (vii) above, such event or
condition, together with all other such events or conditions, if any, could, in the sole judgment of
Lenders having Credit Exposures and unused Commitments representing at least 66 2/3% of the sum of the
total Credit Exposures and unused Commitments at such time reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect;
THEREUPON: (1) in the case of an Event of Default other than one referred to in clause (f) or (g) of this Article VI with respect to the Borrower, (A) the Administrative Agent may and, upon request of the Required Lenders, shall, by notice to the Borrower, terminate the Commitments and they shall thereupon terminate, and (B) the Administrative Agent may and, upon request of the Required Lenders, shall, by notice to the Borrower, declare the principal amount then outstanding of, and the accrued interest on, the Loans and all other amounts payable by the Borrower hereunder (including, without limitation, any amounts payable under Section 2.13 hereof) to be forthwith due and payable, whereupon such amounts shall be immediately due and payable without presentment, demand, protest or other formalities of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrower; and (2) in the case of the occurrence of an Event of Default referred to in clause (f) or (g) of this Article VI with respect to the Borrower, the Commitments shall automatically be terminated and the principal amount then outstanding of, and the accrued interest on, the Loans and all other amounts payable by the Borrower hereunder (including, without limitation, any amounts payable under Section 2.13 hereof) shall automatically become immediately due and payable without presentment, demand, protest or other formalities of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrower.
ARTICLE VII
The Administrative Agent
Each of the Lenders hereby irrevocably appoints the Administrative Agent as its agent and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto.
The bank serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the Administrative Agent, and such bank and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to and generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrower or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if it were not the Administrative Agent hereunder.
The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, (a) the Administrative Agent shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing, (b) the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise in writing as directed by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section 8.02), and (c) except as expressly set forth herein, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries that is communicated to or obtained by the bank serving as Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity. The Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section 8.02) or in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct. The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until written notice thereof is given to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower or a Lender, and the Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or in connection herewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement or any other agreement, instrument or document, or (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent.
The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or sent by the proper Person. The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to be made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon. The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Borrower), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts.
The Administrative Agent may perform any and all its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any and all its duties and exercise its rights and powers through their respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions of the preceding paragraphs shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein as well as activities as Administrative Agent.
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 and the Borrower. Upon any such resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with the Borrower, to appoint a successor. If no successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation, then the retiring Administrative Agent may, on behalf of the Lenders, appoint a successor Administrative Agent which shall be a bank with an office in New York, New York, or an Affiliate of any such bank. Upon the acceptance of its appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder by a successor, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent, and the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder. The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and such successor. After the Administrative Agent’s resignation hereunder, the provisions of this Article and Section 8.03 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Administrative Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while it was acting as Administrative Agent.
Each Lender acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement. Each Lender also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.
ARTICLE VIII
Miscellaneous
SECTION 8.01. Notices. (a) Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and subject to paragraph (b) below), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by facsimile, as follows:
(i) if to the Borrower, to it at 00 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000, Xxxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000,
Attention of Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx (Facsimile No. (000) 000-0000);
(ii) if to the Administrative Agent, to JPMorgan Chase Bank, Loan and Agency Services Group,
One Chase Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxx, 0xx Xxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, Attention of Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx (Facsimile
No. (000) 000-0000), with a copy to JPMorgan Chase Bank, 0000 Xxxx XX Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000,
Attention of Xxxx Xxxxx (Facsimile No. (000) 000-0000); and
(iii) if to any other Lender, to it at its address (or facsimile number) set forth in its
Administrative Questionnaire.
(b) Notices and other communications (including, without limitation, financial statements and
other documents delivered pursuant to Section 5.01 hereof) to the Lenders hereunder may be delivered or furnished
by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent; provided that the
foregoing shall not apply to notices pursuant to Article II unless otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent
and the applicable Lender. The Administrative Agent or the Borrower may, in its discretion, agree to accept
notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by
it; provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications.
(c) Any party hereto may change its address or facsimile number for notices and other
communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. All notices and other communications given to any
party hereto in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed to have been given on the date
of receipt.
SECTION 8.02. Waivers; Amendments. (a) No failure or delay by the Administrative Agent or any Lender in exercising any right or power hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or power, or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such a right or power, preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right or power. The rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders hereunder are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that they would otherwise have. No waiver of any provision of this Agreement or consent to any departure by the Borrower therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be permitted by paragraph (b) of this Section, and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose for which given. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the making of a Loan shall not be construed as a waiver of any Default, regardless of whether the Administrative Agent, any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of such Default at the time.
(b) Neither this Agreement nor any provision hereof may be waived, amended or modified except pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Borrower and the Required Lenders or by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with the consent of the Required Lenders; provided that no such agreement shall (i) increase the 364-Day Facility Commitment or the Multi-Year Facility Commitment of any Lender (including, without limitation, pursuant to Section 2.06(d)) without the written consent of such Lender, (ii) reduce the principal amount of any Loan or reduce the rate of interest thereon, or reduce any fees payable hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby, (iii) postpone the scheduled date of payment of the principal amount of any Loan, or any interest thereon, or any fees payable hereunder, or reduce the amount of, waive or excuse any such payment, or postpone the scheduled date of expiration of either of the 364-Day Facility Commitment or Multi-Year Facility Commitment, without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby, (iv) change Section 2.15(b) or (c) in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby, without the written consent of each Lender, or (v) change any of the provisions of this Section or the definition of "Required Lenders" or any other provision hereof specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required to waive, amend or modify any rights hereunder or make any determination or grant any consent hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender; provided further that no such agreement shall amend, modify or otherwise affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent.
SECTION 8.03. Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver. (a) The Borrower shall pay (i) all reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel incurred in the course of preparing for the Transactions (including the preparation of this Agreement and any related documentation) (ii) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates, including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel for the Administrative Agent, in connection with the administration of this Agreement or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated) and (iii) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Administrative Agent or any Lender, in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights in connection with this Agreement, including its rights under this Section, or in connection with the Loans made hereunder, including all such reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans.
(b) The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent and each Lender, and each Related
Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called an "Indemnitee") against, and hold each
Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and related expenses, including the
fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for any Indemnitee, incurred by or asserted against any Indemnitee
arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of (i) the execution or delivery of this Agreement or any
agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the performance by the parties hereto of their respective
obligations hereunder or the consummation of the Transactions or any other transactions contemplated hereby,
(ii) any Loan or the use of the proceeds therefrom, (iii) any actual or alleged presence or release of Hazardous
Materials on or from any property owned or operated by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or any
Environmental Liability related in any way to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or (iv) any actual or
prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on
contract, tort or any other theory 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 or other Governmental Authority of competent
jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct
of such Indemnitee.
(c) To the extent that the Borrower fails to pay any amount required to be paid by it to the
Administrative Agent under paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the
Administrative Agent such Lender's Applicable Percentage (determined as of the time that the applicable
unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought) of such unpaid amount; provided that the unreimbursed
expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or
asserted against the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such.
(d) To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Borrower shall not assert, and hereby
waives, any claim against any Indemnitee, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or
punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of,
this Agreement or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the Transactions, any Loan or the use of the
proceeds thereof.
(e) All amounts due under this Section shall be payable promptly after written demand therefor.
SECTION 8.04. 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, except that (i) the Borrower may not assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each Lender (and any attempted assignment or transfer by the Borrower without such consent shall be null and void) and (ii) no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer its rights or obligations hereunder except in accordance with this Section. Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, 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 and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.
(b)(i) Subject to the conditions set forth in paragraph (b)(ii) below, any Lender may assign to one or more assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Multi-Year Facility Commitment or 364-Day Facility Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it) with the prior written consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld) of:
(A) the Borrower, provided that no consent of the Borrower shall be required for an
assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender, an Approved Fund (as defined below) or, if an
Event of Default under clause (f) or (g) of Article VI has occurred and is continuing, any
other assignee; and
(B) the Administrative Agent, provided that no consent of the Administrative Agent
shall be required for an assignment to an assignee that is a Lender immediately prior to giving
effect to such assignment.
(ii) Assignments shall be subject to the following additional conditions:
(A) except in the case of an assignment to a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender or an
assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender's 364-Day Facility Commitment
or Multi-Year Facility Commitment, the amount of the 364-Day Facility Commitment or Multi-Year
Facility Commitment, as the case may be, of the assigning Lender subject to each such
assignment (determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such
assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent) shall not be less than $5,000,000 unless
each of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent otherwise consent, provided that no such
consent of the Borrower shall be required if an Event of Default under clause (a), (f) or (g)
of Article VI 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, with
respect to 364-Day Facility Loans following the 364-Day Facility Commitment Termination Date,
any assigning Lender may assign a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender's rights and
obligations in respect of 364-Day Facility Loans;
(C) the parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative
Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500;
(D) the assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative
Agent an Administrative Questionnaire; and
(E) in the case of an assignment to a CLO (as defined below), the assigning Lender
shall retain the sole right to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision
of this Agreement, provided that the Assignment and Assumption between such Lender and such CLO
may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of such CLO, agree to any amendment,
modification or waiver described in the first proviso to Section 8.02(b) that affects such CLO.
For the purposes of this Section 8.04(b), the terms “Approved Fund” and “CLO” have the following meanings:
Approved Fund” means (a) a CLO and (b) with respect to any Lender that is a fund which invests in bank loans and similar extensions of credit, any other fund that invests in bank loans and similar extensions of credit and is managed by the same investment advisor as such Lender or by an Affiliate of such investment advisor.
“CLO” means any entity (whether a corporation, partnership, trust or otherwise) that is engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in bank loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business and is administered or managed by a Lender or an Affiliate of such Lender.
(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 2.12, 2.13, 2.14 and 8.03).
Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not
comply with this Section 8.04 shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of
a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with paragraph (c) of this Section.
(iv) The Administrative Agent, acting for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower, shall
maintain at one of its offices a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register
for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the 364-Day Facility Commitment and
Multi-Year Facility Commitment of, and principal amount of the Loans owing to, each Lender pursuant to
the terms hereof from time to time (the "Register"). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive,
and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders may treat each Person whose name is recorded
in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement,
notwithstanding notice to the contrary. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower
and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.
(v) Upon its receipt of a duly completed Assignment and Assumption executed by an assigning
Lender and an assignee, the assignee's completed Administrative Questionnaire (unless the assignee shall
already be a Lender hereunder), the processing and recordation fee referred to in paragraph (b) of this
Section and any written consent to such assignment required by paragraph (b) of this Section, the
Administrative Agent shall accept such Assignment and Assumption and record the information contained
therein in the Register. No assignment shall be effective for purposes of this Agreement unless it has
been recorded in the Register as provided in this paragraph.
(c)(i) Any Lender may, without the consent of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, sell
participations to one or more banks or other entities (a "Participant") in all or a portion of such Lender's
rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its 364-Day Facility Commitment and/or
Multi-Year Facility Commitment and the Loans owing to it); provided that (A) such Lender's obligations under this
Agreement shall remain unchanged, (B) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for
the performance of such obligations and (C) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent 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 8.02(b) that affects such Participant. Subject to paragraph (c)(ii) of
this Section, the Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.12, 2.13
and 2.14 to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to
paragraph (b) of this Section. To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the
benefits of Section 8.08 as though it were a Lender, provided such Participant agrees to be subject to Section
2.15(c) as though it were a Lender.
(ii) A Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 2.12 or 2.14 than the applicable Lender would have been entitled to receive with respect to the participation sold to such Participant, unless the sale of the participation to such Participant is made with the Borrower's prior written consent. A Participant that would be a Foreign Lender if it were a Lender shall not be entitled to the benefits of Section 2.14 unless the Borrower is notified of the participation sold to such Participant and such Participant agrees, for the benefit of the Borrower, to comply with Section 2.14(e) as though it were a Lender.
(d) Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank, and this Section shall not apply to any such pledge or assignment of a security interest; provided that no such pledge or assignment of a security interest shall release a Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.
SECTION 8.05. Survival. All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by the Borrower herein and in the certificates or other instruments delivered in connection with or pursuant to this Agreement shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the making of any Loans, regardless of any investigation made by any such other party or on its behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent 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 the 364-Day Facility Commitment and the Multi-Year Facility Commitments have not expired or terminated. The provisions of Sections 2.12, 2.13, 2.14 and 8.03 and Article VII shall survive and remain in full force and effect regardless of the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the repayment of the Loans and the 364-Day Facility Commitments and the Multi-Year Facility Commitments or the termination of this Agreement or any provision hereof.
SECTION 8.06. Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto on different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Agreement and any separate letter agreements with respect to fees payable to the Administrative Agent constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof. Except as provided in Section 4.01, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof which, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto, and thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by facsimile shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.
SECTION 8.07. Severability. Any provision of this Agreement held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability without affecting the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions hereof; and the invalidity of a particular provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate such provision in any other jurisdiction.
SECTION 8.08. Right of Setoff. If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender and each of its Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final) at any time held and other obligations at any time owing by such Lender or Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower against any of and all the obligations of the Borrower now or hereafter existing under this Agreement held by such Lender, irrespective of whether or not such Lender shall have made any demand under this Agreement and although such obligations may be unmatured. The rights of each Lender under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) which such Lender may have.
SECTION 8.09. Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process. (a) This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the law of the State of New York without giving effect to the principles of conflicts of law thereof (other than Section 5-1401 of the New York General Obligations Law).
(b) The Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally submits, for itself and its property,
to the nonexclusive jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of the State of New York sitting in New York County and of
the United States District Court of the Southern District of New York, and any appellate court from any thereof,
in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or for recognition or enforcement of
any judgment, and each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that all claims in
respect of any such action or proceeding may be heard and determined in such New York State or, to the extent
permitted by law, in such Federal court. Each of the parties hereto agrees that a final judgment in any such
action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in
any other manner provided by law. Nothing in this Agreement shall affect any right that the Administrative Agent
or any Lender may otherwise have to bring any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement against the
Borrower or its properties in the courts of any jurisdiction.
(c) The Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent it may
legally and effectively do so, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any
suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement in any court referred to in paragraph (b)
of this Section. Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law,
the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such court.
(d) Each party to this Agreement irrevocably consents to service of process in the manner
provided for notices in Section 8.01. Nothing in this Agreement will affect the right of any party to this
Agreement to serve process in any other manner permitted by law.
SECTION 8.10. 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 OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.
SECTION 8.11. 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 8.12. Confidentiality. Each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its and its Affiliates’ directors, officers, employees and agents, including accountants, legal counsel and other advisors (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to the extent requested by any regulatory authority, (c) to the extent required by applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (d) to any other party to this Agreement, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or any suit, action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or the enforcement of rights hereunder, (f) subject to a written agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to (i) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or (ii) any actual or prospective counterparty (or its advisors) to any swap or derivative transaction relating to the Borrower and its obligations, (g) with the consent of the Borrower or (h) to the extent such Information (i) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (ii) becomes available to the Administrative Agent or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than the Borrower. For the purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from the Borrower relating to the Borrower or its business, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis (and otherwise not clearly marked as confidential) prior to disclosure by the Borrower; provided that, in the case of information received from the Borrower after the date hereof, such information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as confidential. Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.
S-1
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.
| NATIONAL FUEL GAS COMPANY, | |
| By: /s/ X. X. Xxxxxxxxx | |
| Name: X. X. Xxxxxxxxx | |
| Title: Treasurer | |
S-2
| JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, | |
| as Administrative Agent | |
| By: /s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxx | |
| Name: Xxxx X. Xxxxx | |
| Title: Vice President | |
S-3
| JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, | |
| as Lender | |
| By: /s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxx | |
| Name: Xxxx X. Xxxxx | |
| Title: Vice President | |
S-4
| HSBC BANK USA, | |
| as Lender | |
| By: /s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx | |
| Name: Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx | |
| Title: Vice President | |
S-5
| MANUFACTURERS AND TRADERS TRUST COMPANY, | |
| as Lender | |
| By: /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxx-Xxxxxxxxxxx | |
| Name: Xxxxx Xxxxx-Xxxxxxxxxxx | |
| Title: Vice President | |
S-6
| KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, | |
| as Lender | |
| By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx | |
| Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx | |
| Title: Vice President | |
S-7
| NATIONAL CITY BANK OF PENNSYLVANIA, | |
| as Lender | |
| By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx | |
| Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx | |
| Title: Vice President | |
S-8
| THE NORTHERN TRUST COMPANY, | |
| as Lender | |
| By: /s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx | |
| Name: Xxxx Xxxxxxxxxx | |
| Title: Vice President | |
SCHEDULE 2.01
COMMITMENTS
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Institution 364-Day Facility Multi-Year
Commitment Facility
Commitment
$22,500,000 $22,500,000
JPMorgan Chase Bank
$22,500,000 $22,500,000
HSBC Bank USA
$22,500,000 $22,500,000
Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company
$17,500,000 $17,500,000
KeyBank National Association
$12,500,000 $12,500,000
National City Bank of Pennsylvania
$12,500,000 $12,500,000
The Northern Trust Company
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SCHEDULE 3.06
GOVERNMENTAL APPROVALS
1. SEC Financing Order (SEC Rel. No. 35-26847)
2. Supplemental SEC Financing Order (SEC Rel. No.35-27170)
SCHEDULE 4.01
REPAID INDEBTEDNESS
- Indebtedness of the Borrower under the Credit Agreement dated as of September 23, 1992 among the Borrower, the Chase Manhattan Bank (National Association) as Agent and the Banks party thereto (as amended).
EXHIBIT A
[ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION]
Reference is made to the Credit Agreement dated as of September 30, 2002 (as amended and in effect on the date hereof, the “Credit Agreement”), among National Gas Fuel Company, the Lenders named therein and JPMorgan Chase Bank, as Administrative Agent for the Lenders. Terms defined in the Credit Agreement are used herein with the same meanings.
The Assignor named on the reverse hereof hereby sells and assigns, without recourse, to the Assignee named on the reverse hereof, and the Assignee hereby purchases and assumes, without recourse, from the Assignor, effective as of the Assignment Date set forth on the reverse hereof, the interests set forth on the reverse hereof (the “Assigned Interest”) in the Assignor’s rights and obligations under the Credit Agreement, including, without limitation, the interests set forth on the reverse hereof in the 364-Day Facility Commitment and Multi-Year Facility Commitment of the Assignor on the Assignment Date and 364-Day Facility Loans and Multi-Year Facility Loans owing to the Assignor which are outstanding on the Assignment Date, but excluding accrued interest and fees to and excluding the Assignment Date. The Assignee hereby acknowledges receipt of a copy of the Credit Agreement. From and after the Assignment Date (i) the Assignee shall be a party to and be bound by the provisions of the Credit Agreement and, to the extent of the Assigned Interest, have the rights and obligations of a Lender thereunder and (ii) the Assignor shall, to the extent of the Assigned Interest, relinquish its rights and be released from its obligations under the Credit Agreement.
This Assignment and Assumption is being delivered to the Administrative Agent together with (i) if the Assignee is a Foreign Lender, any documentation required to be delivered by the Assignee pursuant to Section 2.14(e) of the Credit Agreement, duly completed and executed by the Assignee, and (ii) if the Assignee is not already a Lender under the Credit Agreement, an Administrative Questionnaire in the form supplied by the Administrative Agent, duly completed by the Assignee. The [Assignee/Assignor] shall pay the fee payable to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 8.04(b) of the Credit Agreement.
This Assignment and Assumption shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
Date of Assignment:
Legal Name of Assignor:
Legal Name of Assignee:
Assignee's Address for Notices:
Effective Date of Assignment
("Assignment Date"):
A-2
------------------------------------------- ------------------- -------------------------------------
Facility Principal Amount Percentage Assigned of
Assigned Loan/Commitment
(set forth, to at least 8 decimals,
as a percentage of the Loan and the
aggregate Commitments of all
Lenders thereunder)
------------------------------------------- ------------------- -------------------------------------
364-Day Facility Commitment Assigned: $ %
------------------------------------------- ------------------- -------------------------------------
Multi-Year Facility Commitment Assigned: $ %
------------------------------------------- ------------------- -------------------------------------
364-Day Facility Loans:
------------------------------------------- ------------------- -------------------------------------
Multi-Year Facility Loans:
------------------------------------------- ------------------- -------------------------------------
The terms set forth above and on the reverse side hereof are hereby agreed to:
| [Name of Assignor], | |
| as Assignor | |
| By:_________________________ | |
| Name: | |
| Title: | |
| [Name of Assignee], | |
| as Assignee | |
| By:_________________________ | |
| Name: | |
| Title: | |
The undersigned hereby consent to the within assignment:1
| National Fuel Gas Company, | JPMorgan Chase Bank, |
| as Administrative Agent, | |
| By:_______________________________ | By:___________________________ |
| Name: | Name: |
| Title: | Title: |
_____________________
1 Consents to be included to the extent required by Section 8.04(b) of the Credit Agreement.
EXHIBIT B
[ASSUMPTION AND ACCEPTANCE]
Reference is made to the Credit Agreement dated as of September 30, 2002 (as amended and in effect on the date hereof, the “Credit Agreement”), among National Gas Fuel Company, the Lenders named therein and JPMorgan Chase Bank, as Administrative Agent for the Lenders. Terms defined in the Credit Agreement are used herein with the same meanings.
| 1. [INSERT NAME OF ASSUMING LENDER] (the "Assuming Lender") agrees to become a party to the Credit Agreement and to have the rights and perform the obligations of a Lender under the Credit Agreement, and to be bound in all respects by the terms of the Credit Agreement. | |
| 2. The Assuming Lender hereby agrees to a Commitment of [INSERT AMOUNT OF PROPOSED COMMITMENT]. | |
| 3. The Assuming Lender (i) agrees that no Lender has made any representation or warranty, or assumes any responsibility with respect to, (x) any statements, warranties or representations made in or in connection with the Credit Agreement or the execution, legality, validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or value of the Credit Agreement or any other instrument or document furnished pursuant thereto or (y) the financial condition of the Borrower or the performance or observance by the Borrower of any of its obligations under the Credit Agreement or any other instrument or document furnished pursuant thereto; (ii) confirms that it has received a copy of the Credit Agreement, together with copies of the financial statements referred to in Section 4.01(f) thereof and such other documents and information as it has deemed appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Assumption and Acceptance; (iii) agrees that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or not taking action under the Credit Agreement; (iv) appoints and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such action as agent on its behalf and to exercise such powers and discretion under the Credit Agreement as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms thereof, together with such powers and discretion as are reasonably incidental thereto; and (v) agrees that it will perform in accordance with their terms all of the obligations that by the terms of the Credit Agreement are required to be performed by it as a Lender. | |
| 4. The effective date for this Assumption and Acceptance shall be [______________, ____] (the "Assumption Date"); provided that this Assumption and Acceptance has been fully executed and delivered to the Administrative Agent for acceptance and recording by the Administrative Agent on or prior to such Assumption Date. | |
| 5. Upon such execution, delivery, acceptance and recording and as of the Assumption Date, the Assuming Lender shall be a party to the Credit Agreement with a 364-Day Facility Commitment and Multi-Year Facility Commitment as set forth in | |
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| paragraph 2 hereof and, to the extent provided in this Assumption and Acceptance, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under the Credit Agreement. | |
| 6. This Assumption and Acceptance shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of the State of New York. | |
| 7. This Assumption and Acceptance may be signed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same as if the signatures were upon the same instrument. | |
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Assuming Lender has caused Assumption and Acceptance to be executed by its officers thereunto duly authorized as of the date specified above.
| [NAME OF ASSUMING LENDER] | |
| By:_________________________ | |
| Name: | |
| Title: | |
| Domestic Lending Office: | |
| [Address] | |
| Eurocurrency Lending Office: | |
| [Address] | |
This Assumption and Acceptance is
hereby acknowledged and agreed on
as of the date set forth above.
NATIONAL FUEL GAS COMPANY
By:____________________________
Name:
Title:
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK,
as Administrative Agent
By:_______________________________
Name:
Title:
